President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a message on March 8, International Women's Day, saying, "I once again strongly condemn all forms of physical and psychological violence and discrimination against women, which I consider a crime against humanity. We will, resolutely and sensitively, sustain our struggle to create an environment in which our women are not subjected to violence."
"I congratulate all our women, who are the hope of humanity, with their love, efforts and self-sacrifice, on March 8, International Women's Day," said Erdoğan.
Underlining the great importance he attaches to the further presence of women, who are the main pillars of the family and social structure, in all fields from education to art, economy to politics, President Erdoğan noted the following in his message:
"We, as a whole nation, will walk shoulder to shoulder with women and men to carry our country to a more advanced and developed level and achieve our goals. I am proud of all our women who stood on the front lines in all spheres of life throughout history and who serve as a model with their struggles and successes today as well. Numerous legal and administrative reforms, as well as highly advanced regulations, were introduced in order to resolve the issues faced by our women in domestic, business and social lives, being discrimination, usurpation of rights and violence in the first place. I once again strongly condemn all forms of physical and psychological violence and discrimination against women, which I consider a crime against humanity. We will, resolutely and sensitively, sustain our struggle to create an environment in which our women are not subjected to violence."
Recalling that the steps aimed at strengthening the fight against violence against women are incorporated in the Human Rights Action Plan announced, President Erdoğan stated the following in his message: "On the other hand, we will continue to stand against all sorts of attempts and discourse that intend to destroy our family structure, and continue to preserve the sacredness of family as women and men, all together. On this occasion, I once again congratulate March 8, International Women's Day, and extend my greetings and respect to our mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, and all the women in our country and across the world."