Last month, after the Republican People’s Party (CHP) submitted a law proposal for legal protection to the headscarf, the government took action to secure the issue constitutionally. As of yesterday, the amendment proposal regarding the constitutional guarantee for the headscarf, on which the lawyers of the government have been working on for a long time, was submitted to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) with the signature of 336 deputies.
IN A WAY THAT AMENDMENTS MADE IN TWO ARTICLES AND ONE ARTICLE IS IN EFFECT
The constitutional proposal submitted to the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly consists of three articles, one for the executive and two for the amendment of the text. While the first of the amendments envisaged in Articles 24 and 41 of the Constitution is about the headscarf, the second article is aimed at protecting family integrity. Article 24 guarantees that the woman who wears a headscarf due to her religious belief will receive and provide services in the public and private sectors, while in Article 41, the expression "spouses" for the integrity of the family is changed to "woman and man". The last article, which is foreseen to be changed, is included in the proposal as the execution article. The constitutional amendment proposal presented to the Presidency is expected to be considered after the 16th of December due to the budget negotiations. After postponing the amendment proposal four times, the parties submitted it to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
PRESENTED WITH THE COMMON SIGNATURE OF 336 MPS
Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Deputy Chairwoman Özlem Zengin said in a statement with her accompanying deputies wearing headscarves, “With the signatures of our 336 deputies, we are presenting the constitutional amendment proposal regarding the headscarf to the Parliament with the signatures of the AKP, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Grand Unity Party (BBP). What we most desire is to be understood. We actually solved this problem, especially with the power of politics. In Turkey, there was no law prohibiting the headscarf as a law. It appeared when we wanted to enjoy some basic fundamental rights. We were faced with obstacles in carrying out a profession. Wearing a headscarf was said to us lawyers as 'an attitude unbecoming of the profession',” she said.
CALL TO THE OPPOSITION FOR SUPPORT
Addressing the opposition parties, Zengin said, “We told them We're giving you an opportunity. Please support the constitutional proposal. This is what Parliament is. This is the honor of the Assembly. This constitutional amendment is very important. Would you throw away another 30 years of our lives? They say no. We've learned a lot in these 30 years. Both men and women learned a lot in Turkey. We see this as a vital issue. We are making this offer for the freedom of women with their heads uncovered and covered.”