‘We do not accept a budget without women’

The women’s commissions of labor and professional groups issued a written statement on the Ministry of Family and Social Services’ budget, which will be debated in Parliament. It was stressed that a budget that does not prioritize gender equality is unacceptable at a time when violence against women has escalated as a result of the pandemic and women’s poverty has worsened.

Reminding that in 2018, the Ministry of Family and Social Policy merged with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the statement said, “With the change made in 2021, it has been transformed into the Ministry of Family and Social Services. The ministry, whose mission is to determine, implement and ensure the implementation of social policies for the protection, strengthening and development of the individual, the family and our social values, revealed that its main concern is not the woman but the family by saying that “Women’s empowerment and access to their individual rights and interests is extremely important in terms of strengthening our family and social structure.”

‘WOMEN ARE NOT IN THE BUDGET’

The statement emphasized that the majority of the AKP’s efforts for women are within the framework of projects and continued, “Thus, it is apparent that the work for women is carried out not from the state budget, but with the economic assistance of other institutions, mainly the EU. As a result, when the projects are completed, the research on the issue comes to an end, and the services provided are halted. When we look at the 2020 budget, we see that the general justified objectives of budget planning do not even mention strengthening women’s social position, let alone equality between men and women. Unfortunately, the Ministry’s aims for the 2018-2023 Strategic Action Plan, which it presented for women, are not included in the budget target.”

The statement pointed out that; “There are no women in the AKP’s policies or budget for 2022. This budget, which does not prioritize gender equality, cannot be approved at a time when violence against women has escalated as a result of the pandemic and women’s poverty has worsened. The budget should be promptly removed, and a fair budget should be prepared.”

The organizations that signed the statement are as follows:

“Turkish Revolutionary Trade Unions Confederation (DISK) Women’s Commission, Public Workers’ Unions Confederation (KESK) Women’s Assembly, Union of Turkish Engineers and Architects Chambers (TMMOB) Women’s Working Group, Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Women’s Medicine and Women’s Health Branch.”