Turkey: A dangerous declaration for human rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQI+ rights

On May 2, 2025, the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services issued a statement titled “On the Use of Gender-Related Concepts.” In this declaration, the Ministry criminalized the use of terms such as gender identity, sexual education, LGBTQI+ community, and sexual orientation.

According to the Ministry, these “political orientations” and “concepts”, adopted within international organizations or official reports, undermine the institution of marriage, threaten the structure of the traditional family, and negatively impact women and children in general.

These deeply conservative, anti-feminist, anti-gender, and homophobic statements are profoundly concerning, as they reflect a broader backlash against fundamental human rights and mark a serious setback for women’s and LGBTQI+ rights. Moreover, the statement stands in direct violation of Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution, which establishes that international treaties ratified by Turkey take precedence over domestic law in cases of conflict. As a signatory to numerous international agreements, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Turkey is legally bound to uphold international human rights standards.

In response to these dangerous statements, human rights defenders have raised strong objections. The Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği, İHD) has firmly condemned the declaration, describing it as a serious attack on fundamental rights. 

See : İnsan Hakları Derneği, Bianet