State siege on the right to body
Women's rights are at the mercy of the AKP. When women seek hospital treatment for issues related to their uterus, they are asked to obtain a signature from a male family member or their husband. Women are pushing back, saying, ‘The state is male and wants to negotiate with men’.
Women's rights are being systematically undermined by the AKP government. On the one hand, there is the right to one's body, and on the other, social rights... Healthcare is the field in which women suffer the most.
Even if women are at risk of cancer, they cannot have their uterus removed without the permission of their husbands, they cannot undergo certain procedures, and they cannot even decide how they will give birth... In other words, when a woman's fertility is at risk, her right to decide about her uterus is reduced to the will of the male state.
One of these women is S.D., who lives in İstanbul.
After undergoing tests at a state hospital, S.D. was told that cells indicative of cancer had been found in her uterus. S.D. said that she went from hospital to hospital and that when she wanted to have surgery, her husband was asked to sign a consent form.
Describing her experiences with rage, S.D. said she would sue the hospital, stating, ‘I cannot make decisions about my own body. They are asking for my husband's signature. I never agreed to this and left the hospital. My husband would sign, but why can't I make this decision? I will never accept this procedure. I don't want to die or get sick. The male state wants a male representative. A woman's will is being suppressed. If I want to have my uterus removed, I cannot act without my husband's permission. The real question is: If my husband were in the opposite situation, would they ask my permission if he wanted a vasectomy?‘ she protested.
’THEY CHOSE CANCER'
Women who experienced similar incidents shared their experiences on social media accounts. A woman said, ‘They don't believe it, but when cancer cells were detected in my uterus, they told me at the state hospital, “If your mother and father sign the consent form, you can have the surgery. Even if you were married, we would have asked your husband.” After the surgery, the chances of me having a child will drop, so what will my doctor do if my husband sues me tomorrow because I can't have children?’
Another woman described an incident she experienced a few years ago: ‘I had a risk of cervical cancer, and a sample needed to be taken. They refused because I wasn't married. I went to the hospital and then to the Early Diagnosis Screening and Education Centre (KETEM). I couldn't convince them anywhere. They would prefer me to have cancer.’'
Another woman shared her experience: 'I also applied to KETEM. They refused because I was under 30. I then visited three other training and research hospitals, and none of them performed the procedure. They told me, “Eat healthily, exercise. Your body will get rid of it; you're young.” They didn't even allow me to find out if I was sick. At the fourth hospital I visited, they finally performed the procedure after I cried and begged them. The results came back in a month.’
Attorney Umut Çiftci from the Antalya Bar Association emphasised that women alone have the right to decide about their bodily autonomy. Çiftci told BirGün: ‘In our country, when it comes to issues affecting a woman's fertility, the consent of her spouse is required if she is married. In cases involving hysterectomy, the spouse's permission is sought. Requiring spousal consent for these surgeries, which are medically necessary, violates the United Nations Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Istanbul Convention, and all national and international laws. Above all, it violates human rights and the right to life. The right to health cannot be taken away from anyone. This situation also abolishes equality.’
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THE SITUATION IN TURKEY IS ALARMING!
According to the Law on Population Planning in Turkey (NPHK) and the Regulation on the Implementation and Supervision of Abortion and Sterilisation Services, a married woman requires her husband's consent to undergo an abortion or have her reproductive organs removed. Lawyers are calling for certain articles of the NPHK to be amended immediately.
When we look at examples from around the world, we see significant differences from country to country. In Western Europe, North America, and Scandinavian countries, the right to decide over one's own body is fully recognised as belonging to the woman. In the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, however, spousal consent remains mandatory due to social and religious norms. In Latin America, although there have been recent relaxations in abortion laws, spousal consent is still required for procedures involving the removal of reproductive organs or similar interventions.
The situation in some countries is as follows:
UNITED STATES
In the United States, the situation varies from state to state. While spousal consent is not required in some places, the procedure is more strict in other states. In Arkansas, consent is never granted unless the mother's life is in danger.
CANADA
In Canada, women have full control over their reproductive organs. Spousal consent or notification is not required.
GERMANY
In Germany, spousal consent is not required. The woman's consent is sufficient.
FRANCE
In France, the woman's consent is sufficient for procedures such as sterilisation and hysterectomy.
IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA
In these countries, the spouse's or a male family member's consent is required for decisions regarding a woman's reproductive health.
INDIA
The woman's consent is sufficient for sterilisation procedures. However, there may be differences in practice in some regions, and the woman's family or spouse may exert pressure.
MOROCCO
Abortion is performed when the mother's life is in danger. The husband's consent is required for sterilisation and similar procedures.
BRAZIL
Abortion is only performed in cases of sexual abuse or when the mother's life is in danger. The husband's consent is required for sterilisation procedures.
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LEGAL BATTLE LAUNCHED
A similar incident occurred last year in Ankara. A woman who was recommended to undergo surgery to remove her uterus and ovaries was told that she needed her husband's permission for the operation, as they were in the process of divorcing. However, the man, who was in the process of divorcing, said he could give ‘conditional consent.’ As a result, the woman filed a lawsuit with the Family Court to initiate legal action.
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WHAT ABOUT THE PROMISES YOU MADE?
Attacks on women's rights are not limited to this. No concrete steps have been taken in our country for the HPV vaccine, which is routinely performed in more than 140 countries. Every day, seven women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and three lose their lives. Worldwide, more than 500,000 women die every year. The Ministry of Health's 2025 budget was approved by the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Planning and Budget Committee, but the term ‘HPV’ was mentioned only four times during the discussion. The HPV vaccines promised by former Minister Koca two years ago are not on the agenda of Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu.
Note: This text has been translated from the original Turkish version titled Beden hakkına devlet kuşatması, published in BirGün newspaper on May 11, 2025.
