NEWS: NEW CIVIL
CODE IN TURKEY
Dear friends,
We're very happy to inform you that the reform of the civil code,
for which the women's movement in Turkey has been lobbying for many years, has
been finally accepted by the Turkish Parliament.
The amended civil code scraps the supremacy of men in marriage and
allows women to have a say in all matters related to the marriage, thus
establishing the equality of men and women in the family. One of the most
important changes included in the 1030 amendments to the civil code sees the
removal of the clause that defines the man as the head of the family, giving
equal status to the woman. The new code also raises the legal age for marriage
to 18 both for women and men (which was previously 17 for men and 15 for women).
Children born outside marriage will be given the same inheritance rights as
others and single parents will be allowed to adopt children.
The most controversial issue of the new civil code was the reform
of the clause regulating the matrimonial property. The original draft of the new
civil code foresaw that all matrimonial property should be split
50/50. This clause met the strong resistance of the
nationalists and the religious conservatives in the parliament, who insisted on
the separate property regime, which has been the rule in Turkey since 1926.
Due to a big campaign initiated and coordinated by women's groups
all around the country since the beginning of the year, the nationalists
and the religious conservatives were forced to accept the new property
regime, which entitles women to an equal share of the assets
accumulated during the time of the marriage. However, due to a last minute
law formulated by the opposition parties, which will be discussed in the
parliament next week, this clause will be valid only for property acquired after Jan. 1,
2003. We, as women's groups continue to protest this law and are planning to go
to the constitutional court in case it is accepted by the
parliament.
WWHR will soon publish a booklet on the new Turkish Civil Code in
English. If you want copies of this publication, please write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
In solidarity,
Pinar Ilkkaracan
Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - NEW WAYS
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[GainsNet] new civil code in Turkey ensures equality in the family
KIHP /Women for Women's Human Rights - NEW WAYS Mon, 26 Nov 2001 02:30:15 -0800