On Monday, the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women published its findings on 8 countries: Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Portugal, Türkiye and United Arab Emirates.
The Committee, comprising of 23 experts on women’s rights from around the world, periodically reviews countries’ implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
In its findings on Turkey, the Committee expressed particular concern for the situation of Women Human Rights Defenders there, saying:
The Committee was concerned about the dismissal of approximately 20 per cent of active judges and prosecutors, including women, during the state of emergency on the grounds of “association with terrorism”. It urged Türkiye to reinstate all dismissed judges immediately, and to expedite the investigation of harassment, intimidation and reprisal perpetrated against women judges and prosecutors. The Committee was also concerned that women human rights defenders and activists are often subjected to arrest, physical assault, threats, intimidation, harassment, and freezing of assets. It urged Türkiye to ensure that women human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists can freely carry out their legitimate activities, and to protect them from violence and intimidation.
UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 4 July 2022.
For the full statement, visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/07/un-womens-rights-committee-publishes-findings-azerbaijan-bolivia-mongolia
