Zero Discrimination
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
Every year, on the occasion of “March 1, Zero Discrimination Day”, SOS Children’s Village Association carries out campaigns that draw attention to many social and universal inequalities. This year, it comes together with many non-governmental organizations to bring the issue of “Discrimination in Laws” to the agenda of our country and draws attention to the discriminatory points in the legal regulations in our country in order to raise awareness of our society on this issue. SOS Children’s Village Association, Bar Association, Universal Patient Rights Association, Human Rights Platform, Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS), Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union (KTÖS), Queer Cyprus Association and Refugee Rights Association underline the legal discrimination that exists in our country on issues such as children, women, education, patient rights, refugee rights, human rights, LGBTI+ rights.
SOS Children’s Village Association:
In our laws, the definition of a child differs. For instance, in some laws, individuals are defined as children up to the age of 18, while in others they are defined as children at the age of 16 or more.
Are you aware of what this can lead to? Children’s rights are violated as this different definition will create discrimination among children in cases of neglect, abuse and delinquency.
Unless our laws are updated to protect the rights of the child…
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
Cyprus Bar Association:
“One of the effective tools in combating violence against women is the ‘Protection Order,’ which can only be obtained according to the Family Law when it comes to couples who’ve lived together or separated.
For example, if someone you don’t know subjects you to physical, sexual, or psychological violence, or attempts to do so; or if they persistently stalk you, you can’t obtain a protection order.
Unless the legal deficiencies combating violence against women are eliminated and the Gender Equality Department is not activated…
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
Universal Patient Rights Association:
“In our constitution, the right to life, the right to health, and the right to bodily integrity are protected for everyone.
Unfortunately, there are no legal regulations and administrative arrangements specifically protecting patient rights in our country. In the past 20 years, a draft legal text has been presented to our Assembly of Republic twice but has never been discussed in the General Assembly due to lack of priority.
Unless patients’ rights cannot be protected in our country, Unless they aren’t protected by legal regulations and administrative regulations…
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
İnsanHuman Rights Platform:
The right to conscientious objection is the right of individuals to refuse military service due to their personal beliefs or conscientious reasons. Among the 46 member countries of the Council of Europe, only Turkey does not have the right to conscientious objection. Since this right has not been legally recognized so far in Northern Cyprus, the prosecution of activists who declare conscientious objection continues. The parliamentary committee, which did not meet because there were ceasefire conditions for the draft law on the right to conscientious objection, is meeting for amnesty for paid military service.
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union & Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union:
“The legal regulation known as the immigration law has created inequality, injustice and poverty among employees.
Because of this law, discrimination was created among employees in terms of salaries and personal rights. As this legal discrimination between employees continues,
Unless the Immigration Law is repealed
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
Queer Cyprus Association:
In the northern part of Cyprus, so-called ‘normalizing’ medical interventions are being performed on intersex individuals at a young age, without medical necessity, leading to disabilities for purely cosmetic reasons. There is no law to prevent this situation.
Additionally, same-sex relationships and marriages are not recognized.
As a result, LGBTI+ individuals are deprived of and unable to benefit from rights such as social security, employment, retirement benefits, free movement, family reunification, parental rights, and inheritance, which are granted to heterosexual relationships or marriages.
If we, as LGBTI+s, are exposed to discrimination in many areas such as education, health, employment, housing, starting a family, Access to Goods and Services before the law,
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
Refugee Rights Association:
According to the legal regulations in our country, people who come for asylum are first punished and then sent back to places where they are at risk of persecution. If asylum is one of the most basic human rights,
WHERE IS THE EQUALITY?
