Summary

The article discusses the significance of the Istanbul Convention in protecting women's rights in Turkey, the government's consideration to withdraw from it, and the social media movement initiated by Turkish women to raise awareness about the issue.

Abstract

The article delves into the author's personal engagement with women's rights, particularly through the lens of the Istanbul Convention, a legal framework aimed at combating violence against women and ensuring justice. Despite Turkey's initial ratification of the convention, there has been a rise in discussions about withdrawing from it, driven by conservative and religious groups who claim it undermines traditional family values and promotes homosexuality. In response, Turkish women have started an Instagram challenge, sharing black and white photos to symbolize the grim reality of violence against women and to protest the potential withdrawal from the convention. The movement has gained international attention, with non-Turkish celebrities joining in, highlighting the power of social media in raising awareness for important social issues. The author emphasizes the importance of the Istanbul Convention and encourages readers to engage with it by reading, sharing, and protecting it.

Opinions

The author expresses a strong sense of responsibility to support women's rights, especially as a woman in Turkey.
The Istanbul Convention is seen as a beacon of hope, with the potential to reduce violence against women if properly implemented.
The author is critical of President Erdoğan's consideration to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, reflecting a sense of betrayal and resignation.
The article suggests that the influence of religious communities has led the ruling party to adopt a more conservative agenda, which includes the potential withdrawal from the convention.
There is a clear dismissal of the claims made by conservative circles that the convention damages the family institution and encourages homosexuality, labeling these allegations as "nonsense."
The author supports the #womensupportingwomen challenge on Instagram, viewing it as a powerful tool to bring attention to the issue of gender-based violence.
The author is skeptical of the recent law passed by the AKP to regulate social media platforms, implying it as a move to control the narrative and limit freedom of expression.
The article concludes with a call to action, urging readers to familiarize themselves with the Istanbul Convention and advocate for its preservation.

Why Instagram Is Turning Black and White

The real story behind the new Instagram challenge

Two years ago, I attended a seminar about women’s rights during my legal internship. It wasn’t mandatory to attend but being a woman in Turkey, I have always felt the responsibility to educate myself and do whatever in my power to help the cause of women.

I still remember the instructor's words from that day:

“If you take only one thing from this seminar, it should be the Istanbul Convention. Read it, share it, and protect it.”

I was surprised to learn that this convention was in force in Turkey, even though it’s called the Istanbul Convention. Why? Well, the convention aims to prevent violence against women and the impunity of perpetrators. But the reality was women were still being murdered every day and justice was definitely not being served.

However, I remember feeling full of hope after learning about the Istanbul Convention. It was already in force and if we could make the authorities actually implement it, maybe one less woman would be murdered.

When numbers are this high, you might forget that one means a life. A life full of memories, hopes, and colors that is now just a black and white picture. That’s what they do to your picture when you die in a tragic way. To make it more dramatic perhaps. As if it’s needed.

You can imagine how I felt when I heard that President Erdoğan gave instructions to work on how to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. Do you know the saying “disappointed but not surprised?”

Why is Turkey debating the Istanbul Convention?

Ironically, Turkey was the first country to ratify the Convention. And back then the ruling party AKP (Justice and Development Party) was proud to take such a progressive step for women’s rights.

However, according to CHP MP Lale Karabıyık certain religious communities have become more powerful over the years and AKP wants to pursue a more Islamic and conservative agenda to please them.

The conservative circles claim that the Convention is damaging the family institution by diminishing traditional gender identities and it also encourages homosexuality. However, anyone who will take the time to read the text of the Convention will see that these allegations are simply nonsense.

#womensupportingwomen

To bring awareness to the issue, the Turkish women started sharing black and white pictures of themselves on Instagram and challenged others to do the same. Because there was no guarantee that it won’t be their black and white picture on the news tomorrow.

Some people criticized the challenge saying these women are just trying to attract attention to themselves. However, the challenge took off rapidly and had more and more people talking about the issue. Even non-Turkish celebrities started to join the challenge and encouraged their followers to do the same.

Like it or not in 2020, creating a hashtag or a challenge on social media is actually one of the most effective ways of raising awareness on an issue. No other method would grab the attention of the world in such a short time.

Perhaps that’s why AKP has just passed a law that regulates social media platforms.

I wrote this article hoping that I could at least make one more person aware of this issue. Because I keep remembering the words of the instructor from the seminar and now I’m passing it on to you:

“If you take only one thing from this seminar, it should be the Istanbul Convention. Read it, share it, and protect it.”