Major Challenges |
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Main Interpretations | Acknowledgement of human and civil rights to all citizens living on the territory. |
Prime Ministry: Human Rights Department
(http://www.basbakanlik.gov.tr/sour.ce/index.asp?wpg=187C3538-CE95-4BF6-A4BB-313242FC1D6E)
Coordination role among organizations related to human rights. Examines and evaluates the applications of human rights violations, and coordinates activities to prevent such violations. Coordinating body for the implementation of rules and regulations of international agreements.
The Council of Ministers: Human Rights High Council
Considers the reports submitted by the Human Rights Advisory Council, a subordinate body of high-level government officials and representatives of NGO's, and drafts recommendations for the consideration of the Government.
Regional level: Human Rights Councils have been established in all provinces and districts throughout the country. The Councils are entrusted with investigating complaints and allegations of human rights abuses and transmitting them to competent authorities. They also launch programmes for human rights education at local level.
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
(http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/)
EX: Project "Promotion of Cultural Rights in Turkey", providing EU co-funded grant schemes for small scale projects (in cooperation with The Directorate of Information and Press of the Prime Ministry).
CIVIL SOCIETY:
Especially in Istanbul and other large cities, the number of NGO and initiatives advocating and implementing intercultural programmes and exchanges has been on the rise in recent years. Some of their projects receive support FROM private sponsors, local government authorities and international foundations.
EX: The Project ‘Sea of Dance - Art as Intercultural Dialogue' in Istanbul, June 12 - 22, 2007, focussed on dance workshops with Roma youngsters, run by international artists. It was launched by two universities, a dance atelier and the European Capital of Culture Administration Office, with the support of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures, the Seydoux Foundation and the Roberto Cimetta Fund.
Ministry of National Education
(http://www.meb.gov.tr/english/indexeng.htm)
PolicIES:
Development Plan 2007-2013: special funds for education will be directed towards providing equal opportunities in education.
The principles of the Turkish national education system have been summarised as follows: (http://www.mymerhaba.com/en/main/content.asp_Q_id_E_208):
According to the Constitution governing the Republic, no one shall be deprived of the right to learn or the right to education. Furthermore, primary education is compulsory and free in state schools. Except in specially licensed institutions, Turkish must be taught as the mother tongue and religious instruction is a compulsory subject in the primary and secondary school curriculum.
The following are the constitutional principles underlining the Turkish educational system:
1. Universality and equality
2. Fulfilment of individual and social needs
3. Freedom of choice
4. Right to education
5. Equality of opportunity
6. Education for all throughout life
7. Adherence to Atatürk's Reform principles including secularism
8. Building of democracy
9. Scientific approach
10. Co-education
11. School parent cooperation.
According to the Law on Private Education Institutions, teaching in minority schools can be held in minority languages, except lessons in Turkish and on Turkish culture. However, minorities experience a lack of institutions giving vocational training in their mother tongues. As well, there is a potential source of conflict due to the provision of the Turkish constitution that "no language other than Turkish shall be taught as a mother tongue to Turkish citizens at any institutions of training or education."
Human Rights Education is being implemented in all parts of public society: Compulsory courses on "Citizenship and Human Rights" have been included in the curricula of primary schools. Optional courses entitled "Democracy and Human Rights" are offered in high schools. New human rights' centres in various universities have been established in addition to the existing ones. Human rights courses have become compulsory at Police Academies. Last but not least, courses on human rights have been introduced in preparatory programmes for civil service candidates.
Directorate General of Youth and Sports: Department of Youth Services (under Prime Ministry)
(http://www.genclikhizmetleri.gov.tr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=67&Itemid=42)
Directorate General of Youth and Sports (see 4.)
In charge of 47 sports federations, "which are encouraged to be autonomous with newly passed regulations that will take time to be implemented." The Directorate General has signed protocols with several countries and realises various trans-national activities in the sports field.
The Council of Ministers: Reform Monitoring Group
Works on the political level to overview the progress of human rights issues in the actual implementation of reforms. The group, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, comprises also the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior.
Turkish Grand National Assembly: Human Rights Inquiry Commission
(http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/)
Functions as a national monitoring system, conducts on-site inspections.
Ministry of Interior: Minority Issues Assessment Board
(http://www.icisleri.gov.tr/_Icisleri/Web/Gozlem.aspx?sayfaNo=1)
Addresses difficulties of non-Muslim minorities, in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Education and other related State Ministries.
Civil Society:
According to the Swedish Palme-Centre, civil society has grown in recent years, but its influence is still limited. A new NGO law, however, allows more freedom for activities. Civil society has also received support in the national media and FROM private donors.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Deputy Directorate General for Council of Europe and Human Rights
(http://www.mfa.gov.tr/)
Mandate covers relations with international organizations in the field of human rights (UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, etc.).
EX: The Ernst Reuter Initiative for Intercultural Dialogue and Understanding: Turkish-German cooperation project under the patronage of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries.
Initiates and supports projects in various fields of society - politics, economy, culture, media, science and civil society - promoting ICD. One area of the initiative concerns youth exchange programmes to enable direct youth contacts for tackling misperceptions and prejudices at an early age.
Alliance of Civilizations (AoC)
(http://www.unaoc.org/)
This initiative, proposed at the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 2005, was taken up by the UN Secretary General and is co-sponsored by the Spanish and the Turkish Prime Ministers. Its objective is to galvanize collective action across diverse societies in ORDER to combat extremism, overcome cultural and social barriers between mainly the Western and predominantly Muslim worlds, and to reduce the tensions and polarization between societies which differ in their religious and cultural values.
