"Presidential Circular on Combating Violence Against Women" Published in the Official Gazette

The circular states that preventing violence against women requires a multi-faceted, holistic approach and the joint and determined struggle of all segments of society.

Emphasizing that the contributions and participation of civil society organizations, universities, the private sector, and citizens, in addition to public institutions and organizations, are of great importance in this process, the circular recalls that three national action plans have been implemented to determine priority policies in the fight against violence against women, and that the IV. National Action Plan on Combating Violence Against Women, covering the years 2021-2025, was prepared and put into effect under the coordination of the Ministry of Family and Social Services with the contributions and participation of all relevant parties.

In this context, the circular states that it is deemed necessary to reiterate the measures determined for the prevention of violence against women and the protection and empowerment of victims of violence, and includes the following statements:

"Necessary legal and administrative measures will continue to be taken to ensure the effective implementation of legislation in the fight against violence and to facilitate victims' access to justice. In the implementation of the activities included in the National Action Plan, the relevant ministries, public institutions, and organizations will continue to take the necessary legal, administrative, and financial measures within the framework of a 'zero tolerance for violence' approach, and all kinds of cooperation will be provided. All public institutions and organizations will ensure that protective and preventive services are accessible to victims of violence and those accompanying them who have a protection order under the Law No. 6284 on the Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women, dated March 8, 2012, and necessary administrative and financial measures will be taken to ensure the privacy and security of these individuals."

"Awareness-raising efforts will continue to increase social sensitivity"

The circular reports that all public institutions and organizations, especially those playing an active role in the fight against violence, will continue to carry out efforts to increase the knowledge and awareness of public personnel regarding the fight against violence.

Stating that education and awareness-raising efforts will continue to increase social awareness and sensitivity towards a total fight against violence, the circular provides the following information: "Population-based field research will be conducted to obtain data that will form the basis for developing evidence-based policies in the field of combating violence against women and enable the production of statistics at international standards. Necessary arrangements will be made in the information management systems of public institutions and organizations to enable the production of administrative data and data integration, which will serve as a source for monitoring, evaluating, and improving policies and services for combating violence against women and allow for the production of statistics at international standards."

The circular reports that the capacity of Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (ŞÖNİM) and women's shelters, which are institutional service units for combating violence against women, will be strengthened, and states that effective services will be provided in the fight against violence against women by ensuring early intervention for victims of violence with an approach focused not only on crisis but also on risk analysis and management.

"Measures will be taken for the effective implementation of technical tracking systems"

Stating that governors and district governors will take the necessary measures to ensure coordination and cooperation in the fight against violence at the local level, the circular uses the following expression: "Stakeholder institutions will carry out work in coordination to facilitate victims' access to health services at every stage and to ensure the effective implementation of health measures under Law No. 6284 for perpetrators of violence; individual and group work will be structured for perpetrators regarding anger management, effective communication, and stress coping. Measures will be taken for the effective implementation of technical tracking systems that have been expanded nationwide."

The circular notes that awareness-raising efforts for all segments of society, especially digital literacy training, will be carried out regarding the fight against digital violence against women and the fight against early and forced marriages, and that measures will be taken to increase inter-institutional coordination.

Reporting that municipalities obligated to open women's shelters under the Municipal Law will be ensured to fulfill these obligations in accordance with current standards under the guidance of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the circular states: "Activities will continue to be carried out within the scope of active labor force services to encourage women's participation in the workforce and increase their employability. Analyses of the work carried out within the scope of the fight against violence against women and the prepared plans and programs will be conducted, and monitoring and evaluation efforts will be systematized."

The name of the "Violence Against Women Monitoring Committee" has been changed

The circular states that inter-institutional coordination in the implementation of these measures, as well as the National Action Plans on Combating Violence Against Women and Annual Action Plans on Combating Violence Against Women, will be provided by the Ministry of Family and Social Services.

Reporting that the name of the "Violence Against Women Monitoring Committee," established by the Prime Ministry Circular No. 2006/17 published in the Official Gazette on July 4, 2006, has been changed to the "Coordination Board for Combating Violence Against Women," the circular provides information that this board has been reconstituted to consist of the Minister of Family and Social Services as chair, the Chair of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey's Committee on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men, the Ministers of Justice, Interior, National Education, and Health, the President of Religious Affairs, the relevant deputy ministers of the Ministries of Labor and Social Security, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Foreign Affairs, Youth and Sports, Treasury and Finance, Culture and Tourism, and National Defense, the deputy chairs/acting chairs of the Strategy and Budget Presidency, the Directorate of Communications, the Ombudsman Institution, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey, the Council of Higher Education, the Turkish Statistical Institute, the Radio and Television Supreme Council, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, as well as the Directors of Women's and/or Family Studies Centers within universities and the presidents of relevant civil society organizations.

Stating that other relevant public institutions and organizations, as well as professional organizations, international organizations, and private sector representatives, may be invited to the Coordination Board's work, the circular notes the following:

"The Coordination Board will meet at the invitation of the chair at times deemed necessary, at least once a year. If deemed necessary by the Board, sub-committees, advisory or working groups may be established upon the proposal of the chair. The Coordination Board will carry out the tasks of evaluating current practices in the field of combating violence against women, identifying problems, and increasing inter-institutional cooperation and coordination for the development and implementation of solutions. Decisions taken by the Coordination Board will be added to the National Action Plans/Annual Action Plans on Combating Violence Against Women under the coordination of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. The secretariat services of the Board and the follow-up of the implementation of the decisions taken will be carried out by the General Directorate on the Status of Women of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. Relevant ministries and public institutions and organizations will show maximum effort to ensure that the National Action Plans/Annual Action Plans on Combating Violence Against Women and the work of the Coordination Board are carried out in integrity, and all kinds of necessary support and assistance will be provided."

With this circular, Circular No. 2006/17 has also been repealed.