Original version

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service East Asia

Witness History: Scoring a victory for women's rights in Turkey

Documentaries

Scoring a victory for women's rights in Turkey

13/08/2020 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, Scoring a victory for women's rights in Turkey

How Turkish campaigners forced a radical change in the law on crimes against women

How Turkish campaigners forced a radical change in the law on crimes against women, including definitions of rape and sexual assault.

In 2004 feminist campaigners in Turkey forced a radical change in the law on crimes against women. The overhaul of the country's 80-year-old penal code meant a redefinition of crimes such as rape and sexual assault; references to chastity, honour and virginity were also removed from the legislation. It was a major victory for a group of women who had been pressing for reform for years and was also one of the conditions for Turkey's accession talks with the European Union. Mike Lanchin has been speaking to  Pinar Ilkkaracan, who led the successful campaign for legal change.

(PHOTO: TARIK TINAZAY/AFP via Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

Scoring a victory for women's rights in Turkey

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

About BBC World Service