.... While fewer than a third of women are officially employed in Turkey, many others work unregistered on farms or in factories, and many families could not survive without this second income. According to Erdogan, however, women should stick to being mothers. In 2008 he advised women to have “at least” three children and preferably five, for the sake of the economy; in 2012 he tried to outlaw abortion.
... Why did Erdogan make a speech like this? Turkey pundits often characterise his speeches as deliberately polarising, aimed at mobilising his parochial, conservative supporters. While they do achieve that, I think he really means what he says and after 11 years in power he has become increasingly – and understandably – confident about spouting parochialism to people who repeatedly vote him into power.
[TOP RATED COMMENT 624 votes] "I am always surprised when people don't understand that American style feminism isn't as widely supported around the world as you would think." You mean civil rights aren't a world-wide phenomena? And religious freaks are everywhere? Well done you, who knew?
[SECOND 257v] Given Erdogan's ideology is anyone out there really surprised that he turns out to be a frothing tit?
[THIRD 246v] Erdogans views need to be challenged because they give legitimacy to the idea that equality is a 'western agenda'. He is trying to suggest that Turkey can follow a different path, a return to Islam and better days when women could be easily controlled.
why does he not want women to work? Simple, because without work women can't be financially independent. They will remain virtual slaves to their husbands.
But of course he dresses it up as Islamic principles, in order to make discrimination seem more appealing. [Guardian Cif] Read more
