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Abortion ban latest issue to polarise Turkey

Women share their views on government’s plans for bill that would outlaw abortion beyond first month of pregnancy.

Aysegul Ulgen, 43, hairdresser: According to our religion, abortion can be practiced only if the child damages the mother(***)s health. Apart from this, abortion should not be implemented even if there is a possibility of disability. State is doing this to protect women.
By Umut Uras and Elif Sudagezer
Published On 9 Jun 2012

The controversy over the practice of abortion in Turkey is the latest development reflecting the division between the ruling conservative Justice and Development Party and its opponents in the country.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement defining abortion as “murder” on May 25 ignited discussion on the issue.

Erdogan further elaborated his stance in the following days, saying that his government was preparing a bill prohibiting abortion after the foetus is four weeks old.

The prime minister, who has frequently called on families to have at least three children, also stated that the widespread practice of cesarean section was “an operation to hinder his country’s population”.

He also made an analogy between the ‘Uludere incident’ and abortion with the words, “Every abortion is an Uludere (incident).”

The ‘Uludere incident’ involved the killing of 34 Kurdish civilian smugglers by a military air strike near the Iraqi-Turkish border last December.

Recep Akdag, the health minister and Ayhan Sefer Üstün, the chairman of parliament’s human rights commission, took Erdogan’s discourse a step further by saying that rape victims should not have abortion as “the state would take care of their babies if necessary”.

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Protests held

The government’s statements created uproar especially among some women’s organisations and human rights groups.

These groups have loudly opposed the government’s views, defending women’s right to choose what do to with their body and calling on the government not to politicise the issue.

They argued that a virtual ban of abortion would increase violence against women in a country with widespread incest and rape victims, and would create illegal and unhealthy abortion markets.

Protests were organised in many regions of Turkey, the biggest one held in Istanbul, with up to 4,000 people attending it.

Abortion has been legal in Turkey since 1983 and the practice is allowed until the foetus is ten weeks old. At 14.8 abortions per 1,000 women in 2008, the country still trails far behind average global UN figures of 28 per 1,000 in the world.

In 2004, Erdogan’s government backed a law criminalising adultery but later abandoned it as a result of national uproar and criticism from the EU.

Al Jazeera spoke to a selection of Turkish women to find out what their views were regarding the possible ban.

Fulya Hisarlioglu, 30, PhD candidate: There is an obvious serious danger (with the ban). A project of creating a nation through women(***)s body is underway. It is a sign of conservatism.
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Vildan Hizlan, 33, architect: In the past, unauthorised improper abortions caused many negative situations. If the ban is implemented, we will go back to before the 1980s. I think the ban is wrong.
Zehra Ozer, 74, housewife: As a person who was treated for uterine cancer, abortion should definitely be banned. It is unthinkable to make an exception for women raped. They should be cautious. Why don(***)t we get raped?
Hatice Celik Albayrak, 38, housewife: Although a huge part of the public will be affected negatively, I would like abortion to be banned. It is not right according to our religion. Children(***)s lives cannot be taken by families.
Aysen Hasek, 26, archaeologist: I returned from Afghanistan only a month ago and I was shocked to hear the government(***)s statement. I was having a hard time understanding the life there, but when I returned to Turkey, I thought, "I wish I stayed there".
Esma, 21, and Kismet Sen, 47, mother and daughter. Esma: Precautions should be taken beforehand. I support the ban. I was very angry with the students who attended demonstrations on the issue. It is improper. Kismet Sen: I don(***)t support abortion but the state should not outlaw it either. The government cannot interfere with abortion.
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Afra Akay, 22, student: I don(***)t find abortion righteous due to my beliefs. However, women who want to have abortion would be affected negatively by this (ban).
Idil Tarim, 53, interior architect: Maternal deaths decreased thanks to abortion. Women can choose not to give birth as a result of health issues, rape and other hardships.
Sales consultant, 32, (did not want to be photographed due to possible pressures she may face from people around her): People with unwanted babies are leaving them on the streets. A 15-year-old can get pregnant. How is she able to be a mother?
Zehra H, 56, florist: I am the mother of three children. I had an abortion before as we could not take care of more. We grew our children on the streets. You cannot take care of children without money.
Emdiye Cakmak, 55, housewife: I live in a rural area and I had three abortions. It should not be banned. There are people with ten children who cannot even afford to buy shoes for their children. Is this good?
Asli Alemdar, 37, housewife: Abortion is murder and should be prohibited.
Busra Kurt, 21, student: I am a student and I have the conscience to make my own decision. Even if it is a sin to kill a baby, the state cannot say: "You cannot do something sinful."