Protection shield: 6284
İlayda Kaya
As attacks by the regime and the right-wing political parties targeting all the gains made by women gain momentum day by day, the mechanisms designed to protect women are being sidelined. The Istanbul Convention and Law No. 6284, which are frequently targeted and hold critical importance for women’s rights, are just two examples of this.
Law No. 6284 on the Protection of the Family and the Prevention of Violence Against Women has now marked its 14th anniversary since coming into force. It has been five years since the Presidential Decree regarding Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention was published in the Official Gazette on 20 March 2021. Women, emphasising that the Istanbul Convention and Law No. 6284 must not remain mere words on paper but must be effectively implemented, stated: “They are trying to weave a veil of darkness by attacking our existing rights. We will tear this apart through our struggle.”
NOT ENOUGH
Lawyer Çisel Demirkan from the ‘Children and Women First’ Association said, “The law ensures that deterrent penalties are imposed in cases of violence against women. It does not grant pardons or reductions. This is merely a small part of it. If we look at the law more comprehensively, protective measures must be implemented to safeguard a woman’s life, property and physical integrity. Unfortunately, even when we obtain these protection orders, they are largely ineffective because the state’s operational procedures do not favour their implementation.”
Demirkan summarised his remarks by citing the following examples of shortcomings in implementation: “One of these is the Meliha Keskin case. Keskin had over 20 protection orders. Despite all her complaints, she could not be protected. We can also look at the Döne Bozdemir case as an example. Although a protection order with an electronic tag had been issued, she was murdered on the metro. The issue is not the existence of the law. As long as the state fails to enforce the law, its existence on paper is meaningless. The rise in crimes against women, the failure to implement relevant laws, and even issues regarding alimony, the Civil Code, and attacks on secularism all stem from a single underlying cause. They are attempting to weave a veil of darkness by attacking women’s existing rights. We will tear through this darkness through struggle.”
THE PROBLEM LIES IN IMPLEMENTATION
Dilara Kurtuluş, a member of the Left Feminist Movement, said: “The problem is not the existence of the law, but its failure to be enforced. Women have been killed despite repeatedly seeking protection; restraining orders have been violated; and law enforcement and judicial mechanisms have, more often than not, delayed action or left women to fend for themselves rather than protecting them. This is because a comprehensive and resolute policy to combat violence has never been implemented in this country; on the contrary, it has been systematically weakened by the regime’s choices. Law No. 6284 is under attack today because it provides a framework centred on women’s right to life. Yet the AKP has, for years, pursued policies that render violence invisible under the guise of ‘protecting the family’, effectively confining women to the very homes where they face violence. The decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention marked a turning point in this process. This decision signalled a retreat in the political will to protect women’s right to life. The rise in women’s deaths since that day clearly demonstrates how violence has been emboldened. The Islamist regime is attempting to establish a social order based not on women’s demand for equality, but on obedience. But as women, we know this: neither Law 6284 nor the Istanbul Convention were bestowed upon us; they were won through the years of persistence, organisation and resistance of our feminist struggle. By protecting, expanding and rebuilding what we have won; we are fighting to establish a life free from violence, equal and free across all aspects of life.”
NUMBERS ARE INSUFFICIENT
Whilst the government’s policies towards women fuel violence on the one hand, the failure to provide necessary support in emergencies creates further difficulties. Not only are there too few women’s shelters in many cities, but their capacity is also insufficient.
• By 2025, there were supposed to be 164 shelters; the number remained at 149.
• Total capacity of women’s shelters in Turkey: 3,579 people.
• Over the last 10 years, the number of shelters has increased by just two.
• In Turkey, there is one bed for every 22,945 women.
ESTABLISH A VIOLENCE MONITORING CENTRE
The rights provided under Law No. 6284 are as follows:
• Where there is a risk to the life of the protected person and it is determined that other measures would be insufficient to prevent this risk, the replacement of documents such as identity papers
• Provision of accommodation for the woman who has suffered violence and any children accompanying her
• Provision of temporary financial assistance
• Placement under protection where there is a risk to life
• An order to keep the perpetrator away from the protected person’s home, workplace and school
• The perpetrator, even if a public official, must surrender their weapon to the police
• Coordination of accommodation, health and legal aid services
• Establishment of violence prevention and monitoring centres.
BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS
The Women’s Solidarity Foundation’s latest report examined 203 case files. According to the report, protective orders were breached in 67 cases, and ‘detention’ was imposed in 23. In some instances, electronic tagging was not fitted because the equipment was ‘unavailable’. The report noted that one woman had applied to extend the restraining order 10 times, and another 12 times.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Koruma kalkanı: 6284, published in BirGün newspaper on March 20, 2026.