“[The notion of gender] clashes with our social values and approvals”– president of CoHE Turkey, Yekta Saraç.
Source: President of the Council of Higher Education of Turkey: “The notion of gender does not fit our social values.” (YÖK Başkanı: “Toplumsal cinsiyet kavramı toplumsal değerlerimize uygun değil.”) Yolculuk, 17 February 2019 https://gazeteyolculuk.net/yok-baskani-toplumsal-cinsiyet-kavrami-toplumsal-degerlerimize-uygun-degil
The project for Gender Equality, which was sent as the Approach Document* issued to universities by the Council of Higher Education of Turkey (CoHE), has been waived. During his press statement regarding the issue, the President of the CoHE Yekta Saraç stated that “[The notion of gender] clashes with our social values and approvals.”
While the murder case of Özgecan Aslan was still in the headlines, Saraç stressed that the Approach Document was issued and sent to the universities and that it is within the scope of the international agreements for which Turkey is a party. Saraç asserted “the main principles of this document contain points as what can be done regarding the violence and harassment towards women in the Institutions of Higher Education (posters, seminars, conferences, handbooks) and how a safe environment can be achieved in university campuses (transportation control, night lights, increasing the number of dormitories for women, providing relevant education/training to the security and transportation personnel), as well as preparing and providing a compulsory or elective course in this context.”
“[The notion of gender] clashes with our social values and approvals”
During the press statement, Saraç stated “since the Approach Document was issued in 2015, all these actions will be carried out in order to prevent all kinds of inequality and injustice as stated under the term of Gender Equality. However, today it appears that different meanings other than desired have been attributed to the notion of Gender Equality and there is need to consider the fact that these ideas clash with our social values and approvals and they are not accepted by society. In parallel to this, the CoHE have been working for a while in order to make the necessary changes to the Approach Document. As of today, the work regarding updating the Approach Document by removing the notion of ‘gender equality’ from it has reached the final stage and will be announced to our universities soon.”
Saraç added “In this manner, it is required to pay attention to the curricula for women’s studies courses in our universities which should be determined with the understanding of ‘Women’s Studies Based on Justice’, rather than ‘Gender Equality’ and Turkish society’s esteemed values, particularly the notion of family, should be highlighted in the current courses, seminars, and conferences.”
- Translators note: This document was issued within the scope of the international agreements (CEDAW and Istanbul Convention) and the relevant Articles of the Turkish Constitution. According to the document, the Council of Higher Education promises to act as being aware of gender equality and lists the actions to be carried out in the universities and institutions in order to prevent gender inequality and injustice.