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| Turkish president says childless women are 'deficient, incomplete' Turkish president says childless women are 'deficient, incomplete' | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has urged women to have at least three children, saying a woman’s life was “incomplete” if she failed to reproduce. | Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has urged women to have at least three children, saying a woman’s life was “incomplete” if she failed to reproduce. |
| His comments were the latest in a series of controversial remarks aimed at encouraging women to help boost Turkey’s population, which had already risen exponentially in the last years. | His comments were the latest in a series of controversial remarks aimed at encouraging women to help boost Turkey’s population, which had already risen exponentially in the last years. |
| The president emphasised he was a strong supporter of women having careers but emphasised that this should not be an “obstacle” to having children. | The president emphasised he was a strong supporter of women having careers but emphasised that this should not be an “obstacle” to having children. |
| “Rejecting motherhood means giving up on humanity,” Erdoğan said in a speech on Sunday marking the opening of the new building of Turkey’s Women’s and Democracy Association (KADEM). | “Rejecting motherhood means giving up on humanity,” Erdoğan said in a speech on Sunday marking the opening of the new building of Turkey’s Women’s and Democracy Association (KADEM). |
| “I would recommend having at least three children,” added the president. | “I would recommend having at least three children,” added the president. |
| “The fact that a woman is attatched to her professional life should not prevent her from being a mother,” he added, saying that Turkey had taken “important steps” to support working mothers. | “The fact that a woman is attatched to her professional life should not prevent her from being a mother,” he added, saying that Turkey had taken “important steps” to support working mothers. |
| Erdoğan had on Monday said that family planning and contraception were not for Muslim families, prompting fury among women’s activists. | Erdoğan had on Monday said that family planning and contraception were not for Muslim families, prompting fury among women’s activists. |
| In his speech on Sunday he said: “A woman who says ‘because I am working I will not be a mother’ is actually denying her feminity.” | In his speech on Sunday he said: “A woman who says ‘because I am working I will not be a mother’ is actually denying her feminity.” |
| A woman who says ‘because I am working I will not be a mother’ is actually denying her feminity | A woman who says ‘because I am working I will not be a mother’ is actually denying her feminity |
| “A women who rejects motherhood, who refrains from being around the house, however successful her working life is, is deficient, is incomplete,” he added. | “A women who rejects motherhood, who refrains from being around the house, however successful her working life is, is deficient, is incomplete,” he added. |
| According to the statistics office, Turkey’s population rose to 78.741 million last year, a growth rate of around 1.3%. The population in 2000 was less than 68 million. | According to the statistics office, Turkey’s population rose to 78.741 million last year, a growth rate of around 1.3%. The population in 2000 was less than 68 million. |
| But Erdoğan indicated he wanted more, saying Turkey was a country “with great goals” and to achieve them “every member of the nation should be mobilised.” | But Erdoğan indicated he wanted more, saying Turkey was a country “with great goals” and to achieve them “every member of the nation should be mobilised.” |
| “Strong families lead to strong nations,” he said. | “Strong families lead to strong nations,” he said. |
| Erdoğan has two daughters and two sons with his wife Emine. | Erdoğan has two daughters and two sons with his wife Emine. |
| His younger daughter Sumeyye, who last month married defence industrialist Selcuk Bayraktar in a high-profile wedding, is the deputy chairman of KADEM. | His younger daughter Sumeyye, who last month married defence industrialist Selcuk Bayraktar in a high-profile wedding, is the deputy chairman of KADEM. |
| Erdoğan, a pious Muslim, has repeatedly annoyed feminists and women’s activists with his comments on sex and family planning, once describing birth control as “treason”. | Erdoğan, a pious Muslim, has repeatedly annoyed feminists and women’s activists with his comments on sex and family planning, once describing birth control as “treason”. |
| The composition of Turkey’s new cabinet under prime minister Binali Yildirim announced last month also annoyed activists, with just one female minister, heading the family ministry, in the government. | The composition of Turkey’s new cabinet under prime minister Binali Yildirim announced last month also annoyed activists, with just one female minister, heading the family ministry, in the government. |
| But the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) which Erdoğan co-founded angrily rejects allegations of sexism and says it has done more than any other Turkish government to encourage women to work. | But the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) which Erdoğan co-founded angrily rejects allegations of sexism and says it has done more than any other Turkish government to encourage women to work. |