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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: 'A woman is above all else a mother' Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: 'A woman is above all else a mother'
(35 minutes later)
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said he believes “a woman is above all else a mother”, in a speech marking International Women’s Day. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said he believes “a woman is above all else a mother” in a speech marking International Women’s Day.
Erdoğan has been criticised in the past for urging Turkish women to have at least three children and for railing against efforts to promote birth control as “treason”.Erdoğan has been criticised in the past for urging Turkish women to have at least three children and for railing against efforts to promote birth control as “treason”.
Critics have accused his government of trying to impose strict Islamic values on Turkey and curtailing women’s civil liberties.Critics have accused his government of trying to impose strict Islamic values on Turkey and curtailing women’s civil liberties.
“I know there will be some who will be annoyed, but for me a woman is above all a mother,” he told an audience of women in Ankara on Tuesday.“I know there will be some who will be annoyed, but for me a woman is above all a mother,” he told an audience of women in Ankara on Tuesday.
He criticised the capitalist system for “enslaving” women in pursuit of profits, and urged the audience to “protect the family”.He criticised the capitalist system for “enslaving” women in pursuit of profits, and urged the audience to “protect the family”.
“You cannot free women by destroying the notion of family,” he said in a speech peppered with verses from the Qur’an praising the virtues of motherhood.“You cannot free women by destroying the notion of family,” he said in a speech peppered with verses from the Qur’an praising the virtues of motherhood.
The president – who has two sons and two daughters – has prompted anger by saying that women are not equal to men. He has also made proposals to limit abortion rights, the morning-after pill and caesarean sections.The president – who has two sons and two daughters – has prompted anger by saying that women are not equal to men. He has also made proposals to limit abortion rights, the morning-after pill and caesarean sections.
Violence against women in Turkey – often involving wives killed by their husbands – has risen sharply in recent years and activists say nowhere near enough action has been taken to tackle the problem.Violence against women in Turkey – often involving wives killed by their husbands – has risen sharply in recent years and activists say nowhere near enough action has been taken to tackle the problem.