Turkish cypriot women and cedaw

The current paper was delivered at the "Judicial Colloquium on the Implementation of International Human Rights Law at the Domestic Level" sponsored by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women in Vienna, Austria on 27-29 October 1999. The aim of the paper is to give a brief historical, educational, social, cultural development of the Turkish Cypriot woman from the Ottoman Empire period up to the present day. It covers the difficulty and hardships she faced in the years of Turkish Cypriot struggle against ethnic cleansing by the Greek Cypriots and her right to self-determination. It deals with aspects that have enabled the contemporary Turkish Cypriot woman to take her place in the working life of the patriarchal society in which she lives. Emphasis is put on the difficulties she faces in the family home and in her working life as she tries to get into decision-making positions, and includes the lives of women in rural areas. Statistical information is given on working women as they rise to meet the challenges of modern day demands. It covers the problems she faces not only from within herself but for the male dominated society. While comparing the principles of CEDAW the paper goes into the relevant domestic registration on women's rights, which today governs her professional and private life, and the roles, and duties she is expected to perform as mother, wife, working woman and daughter. There is a brief case study on the new Family Law which came into force at the beginning of 1998, giving the women matrimonial property rights. Finally, the paper notes recommendations for the improvement of women's rights and status.

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Turkish Cypriot ,

Women ,

CEDAW ,