Mahmut Arıkan criticizes government's '3 children' policy: 'You don't talk about raising them'

Saadet Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan criticized the government's 'at least three children' policy at an event organized by his party's Women's Branch. Arıkan emphasized that the real issue is raising children in a healthy environment, stating, 'You say let there be 3 children, but you don't talk about raising or protecting these children.' 

'YOU DON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT PROTECTING OR KEEPING THEM ALIVE'

'Let's address this with the realities of Turkey. There is a very clear reality. Our young people cannot get married. Along with spiritual reasons, financial reasons come to the fore. Both our young people and their parents are left helpless due to wedding expenses. Even those who can get married are hesitant to have children. Financial reasons come to the fore there as well. While it is very difficult to even cover the expenses of one child, '3 children' remains almost a dream for families. As a result, Turkey's birth rate is falling very rapidly, and the young population is melting away. You say, 'Let there be 3 children,' you want it, but you don't talk about raising, protecting, or even keeping them alive. The real issue is not saying '3 children,' but raising these three children. The real issue is not saying 'it is the fate of these things,' but eliminating the negligence in children's deaths. The real issue is not saying 'the family is sacred,' but fighting to protect the family. The real issue is not saying 'we are against violence against women and children,' but taking steps to protect women and children.'

Arıkan also touched upon the difficulties women face in society, stating that stronger steps must be taken to protect women's rights and ensure social equality. He drew attention to the importance of legal regulations for women to take part more in business life and receive equal pay.

'We will make penalties for crimes committed against women deterrent and put an end to reduction and postponement practices. We will implement legal regulations that will ensure women work safely, receive equal pay for equal work, and establish a work-family balance. We will support women's entrepreneurship in agriculture and rural development, and we will place our women at the center of the economy with production and packaging programs.

We will make the retirement system based on years of service rather than age, and we will pave the way for women to retire after working for 25 years. We will provide social security-backed 'care support' to mothers who look after their children, and we will expand rights for working from home and maternity leave. We will grant housewives social professional status and provide them with insurance coverage. We will establish effective inspection mechanisms against content in media and social media that damages the family structure and women's dignity. As the state, we will cover the childcare expenses of low-income mothers'

News Source: 12punto