Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation

International Day of Education (January 24, 2021) with theme Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation. 24th Jan. 2021 Time: 19:00 – 21:00 (CET)

Without quality education and lifelong learning for all, we will not succeed in addressing the challenges of our world. This requires investment, coordination, and multilateralism; rethinking what and how we learn, with those who are on the frontlines and will be the actors and citizens of tomorrow: teachers and young people. – Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General

 

Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpduqorj0vEtyvq02-7AuofJM2gdsGKKIA

Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/Pc4-8C4Dv9I

Speakers:

Professor Emeritus in English with 60 years in education, and author of Gulen’s Dialogue on Education: A Caravanserai of Ideas. In 1986, I authored “Thomas Jefferson of Turkey[TURKIYE’ NIN THOMAS JEFFERSON’I.]” Turing[ISTANBUL] ED. YAYIN MUDURU [ISTANBUL]: TURKIYE TURING VE OTOMOBIL KURUMU, 1986, SAYI 75/354, 1986, p, 101-113. An article in Turkish about Chelik Gulersoy and dealing with the restoration of Osmanli Architecture from Bolu to the Greek border.

From 2010 to 2015, Gage chaired the International Youth Platform for the Gūlen Institute of Houston, TX., with awards to secondary school winners of writing presented in the U.S. Congress.

In addition to my academic career as a Business, Management, and Organization specialist, I also worked as a University Manager. In addition, I worked as an education manager with Mathematics Teacher for many years.

 

 

Professor of education and culture has a Ph.D. in “values education” with the background of bachelor’s degree as a Sociologist. In his teachings, training, researches, and publications, he specifically focuses on pedagogy, values, and society. Has taught in different countries, in multicultural societies, and got overseas experiences.

 

I did my undergraduate education at Anadolu University Preschool Teaching. I completed my master’s degree in Gaziantep University Psychological Counseling and Guidance.  I also received Family Counseling Training at two different universities.  Afterward, I received training in sexual, play, relationship therapy, sexual abuse, solution-oriented counseling, special education, picture interpretation, application of objective tests, family, life, and student coaching, and I applied these to both parents and students in my professional life.  I held both professional and managerial positions for 10 years.  I am currently studying software development and yoga expertise.  I am a columnist for a local newspaper.  I am also writing a book for adults with the theme “Love and Compassion” and writing children’s stories about “bringing universal values ​​to children”.

I have previously researched the “effect of divorce on children and family”.  Last month, I made a presentation at an international program “The secret of success” as the main guest in an international program.  Also in 2016 the psychology of women who are forced to emigrate from Turkey, “I want to write a doctoral thesis about and I want to continue my education in this field.

He thought in high school and college-level computer science in various classes in Tanzania, South Africa, Turkey, Mozambique, and the United States. He currently lives in the United States of America and besides giving computer lessons in High School and University, he provides technical support to other trainers by doing Educational Technology Coaching.

 

 

Since 1993, he has worked in educational institutions abroad.

 

 

Yusuf Incetas, Ph.D., was born into a Turkish Gastarbeiter family in Germany. He started elementary school there but later finished his secondary and college education in Turkey. He lived and worked in Turkey, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and the United States. After serving in the U.S. army, he worked as a certified public school teacher in Illinois, taught English as a second language at Harvard University, and pursued a career as a Turkish language instructor at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. He currently holds an associate professor of education position at Heritage University, the only higher education institution founded on Yakama Nation land. He has a Ph.D. in secondary and continuing education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has a cat named Groot.

 

Get his BSc. Mathematics from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. Work as a school leader and teacher for 15 years in Ghana, Iraq, and Nigeria. After moving to the Netherlands takes three different IT courses and today work as a System Engineer at Fujitsu, Netherlands. Dedicated his life to fighting against Human Rights Violations.

 

  • Dr. Yunus Karaca
  • Germany
  • Corona’s d psycho-sociological wave effect on education

I graduated with a biology education. I worked as a teacher project coordinator for many years. I worked as an academician in a private university for 2 years and 4 years at the state university. We have projects in NASA and other international institutions and works with patent applications.

 

 

Thrived on helping people from diverse backgrounds to create new opportunities in their career path by using counseling skills and flourishing their strengths with the help of positive psychology.
Muavviz believes in promoting environmental awareness, living environmentally friendly, and targeting to reach universal sustainability goals, global citizen

Hakan Gök studied Physics at Middle East Technical University between 1990-1995. He worked as a physics teacher in many countries. He completed his Master’s and Doctorate education in England. His doctorate on “The Greatness of God in Risale-i Nur”, which he completed at the University of Durham, was published in the United States as a book titled “Atheism or Theism: The Perspective of Said Nursi”
Hakan Gök taught at Mevlana University, Turkey for three years. He is currently working at Leeds Beckett University in England.

The State of Impunity in Turkey Today

The human rights violations in Turkey is rapidly increasing in recent years. Because of that reason, the International Observatory of Human Rights has taken the initiative to set up a “Turkey Tribunal.” The Tribunal is not a legally binding body. But the ruling of the Tribunal will have high moral authority.[1]

A Flemish initiative assembled an international panel of judges in Geneva and presented it with human rights violations in Turkey. The initiative is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Johan Vande Lanotte, professor at the University of Ghent, who at the end of the 1980s was one of the first in the Flanders region in Belgium to give a fully-fledged Human Rights course.[2]

Turkey Tribunal is organizing a webinar for public awareness. The third one will be State of Impunity in Turkey Today.

The speakers that include the authors of the report, real witnesses, legal and human rights experts will be discussing the finding of the story that answer two main questions:

1. Is there an internal system of preventing and monitoring torture or mistreatment, and if yes, how does it function in reality?

2. Is there an efficient system of sanctioning possible torture or mistreatment, or can we speak of organized impunity towards torture or abuse against people held in detention?

It is possible to join the webinar from the following link

To get more information on Turkey Tribunal with this link. 

[1] https://turkeytribunal.com/why-a-turkey-tribunal/

[2] https://turkeytribunal.com/who-are-the-initiative-takers%e2%80%8b/

Webinar on International Day of Education

Get Involved

International Day of Education (January 24, 2021) with theme Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation

We are looking for academics, educators, learners, and innovators to speak. You may talk or present your report in one of the following categories, or you may choose your subject.

  1. Effects of COVID-19 on Education.
  2. Should States include human rights in the school curriculum?
  3. The ways of improving online teaching.
  4. How to eliminate the harmful effects of lockdown to the students.

If you are interested, please send an e-mail to r.ince@brokencalk.org

from https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/educationday

Education is a human right, a public good, and a public responsibility.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education(link is external), in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth, and adults behind.

Today, 258 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school, and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable.

Security forces arresting protesters and carrying out raids on students’ homes.

Bogazici University students and academicians are using their basic human rights and protesting the appointment of the new rector into their university. But the Turkish Security forces are responding unfairly and undemocratically.

 

In a statement, the university faculty members declared that they would not accept President Erdogan’s appointment as the rector of Bogazici University, Melih Bulu[1] since it violates the academic freedom and independence and the democratic values of Bogazici University.

Bulu was the first rector appointed from outside a university since a 1980 military coup and part of increasing the Turkish Government’s anti-democratic practices after the failed coup attached 2016.

Bogazici students gathered in front of the university to protest the appointment of Bulu.

“We do not want a trustee as a rector.”

“Melih Bulu is not our rector”

“The universities have been and always will be ours.”

“The universities will become free with us.”

Police have arrested 36 university students due to protesting Melih Bulu as rector of Boğaziçi University since the protests began. Security forces on Tuesday began arresting protesters and carrying out raids on students’ homes.

Sixty-three alumni of Boğaziçi University, including writers and artists, have released a joint statement against a pro-government rector’s appointment.

A rector appointed without a democratic process would harm the traditional values that Boğaziçi has represented for 150 years, they said and cited the principles that the university accepted in 2012:

  • It is indispensable for scientific and social development that universities are not exposed to any person or institution’s influence or pressure and not used as a political instrument.
  • It is essential for autonomy that democratically elected committees and academic administrators have the decision-making authority. Educational administrators such as rectos, demand, institution directors, academy directors, and department chairs should be determined not by appointments but by-elections.
  • It is a condition of scientific freedom and creativity that universities, as autonomous constitutional institutions, determine their academic programs and research programs with academic staff and/or university committees’ decisions.

“Considering the contribution of freedom of thought to human creativity, we put our signature under the basic values stated above ​​to maintain the free and democratic environment, which is in the tradition of Boğaziçi University,” says the statement.[2]

 

Broken Chalk

[1] Melih Bulu was appointed rector on January 1 by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is a member of his ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP. He was rector of Halic University in Istanbul before assuming his new post.

[2] https://bianet.org/english/education/237258-bogazici-alumni-academics-continue-to-protest-rector-appointed-by-erdogan

 

Press Release: Ukraine extradited two teachers to Turkey

Ukrainian soldiers arrested Salih Fidan[1] and Samet Gure[2] while trying to illegally cross the Ukraine-Poland border, which alleged the pair were members of the Gulen Movement.

President Zelensky personally invited people who suffer from political persecution, and he promised asylum and even passports.[3] The act of extraditing is unbelievable and unacceptable. According to the number of applications to The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Turkey is the second country after Russia.

 

Samet Gure and Salih Fidan at the Airport in Kyiv

Continue reading

Ukraine is trying to extradite two teachers to Turkey

Two teachers, who spent New Year’s Eve in the city, were detained on the allegation of an illegal attempt to cross the state border. Currently standing at Kiev Boryspil International Airport teacher who asked to be deported to Turkey.*

Samet Güre said:

“My name is Samet Güre and my name is Salih Fidan. We came to Ukraine and we had a ticket to Dubai, and from Dubai to Erbil, but the soldiers forced us to go to Turkey. They said that at 8 o`clock we have a flight to Dubai, but they say lie, and we checked everything and there is no flight. We know that they are forcing us to go to Turkey. Now we are seeking asylum, we were talking with all these soldiers behind us. They are waiting there. But they do not let us write anything about it, we could not talk with their head, and they are forcing us.”

They were detained on December 31 and transferred to Kyiv Boryspil International Airport, where they are up to this day.**

They were under the supervision of the police but later on some Turkish Authorities also involved in the case. But it was not clear whether those Turkish officials members of the Turkish Embassy or Turkish Secret Service. They have return tickets to Erbil in transit through Dubai, but they were not allowed to board their plane. Moreover, the border service forced them to board an Istanbul flight.

Rebecca Harms, Human rights defender and Green Member of EUParliament 2004-2019, post a tweet and call the attention of the Ukrainian Authorities, some political figures, and some press member with it. And she also reminds us of the positive acts of Ukraine Prime minister in the field of human rights with the following sentences “I remember well that President Zelensky once personally invited people who suffer from political persecution and he promised asylum and even passports”

 

 

* Two Turkish teachers are on the verge of being forcibly deported to Turkey

** Ukrayna, iki öğretmeni Türkiye’ye sınır dışı etmeye çalışıyor

Is Küçüközyiğit also a victim of an abduction?

Turkey was first confronted with incidents of abductions in the 1990s and unfortunately, in recent years, cases of forced abduction have started to come to the fore again. In a report * titled “Police Torture and Abductions in Turkey” of 2017, Human Rights Watch stated that the state officials did not speak out about the kidnapping, and the evidence obtained was horrifying.

Huseyin Galip Küçüközyiğit, the former Prime Ministry Rapporteur, is missing since December 29, 2020. Küçüközyiğit’s car is also missing.

Küçüközyiğit and Abdullah Gul, former President of Turkey

His family is worried that he might have been kidnapped. Nursena Küçüközyiğit, daughter of Küçüközyiğit , said that they applied to Police and CİMER, but did not receive any feedback. Nursena opened a Twitter account as @NeredeBabam, where is my father, and expecting support from the public.

Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, who brought the issue to the agenda, stated that the incident could be a new kidnapping. Posting on his Twitter account, Gergerlioğlu said, “ Another abduction case again? Hüseyin Galip Küçüközyiğit, former Prime Minister’s reporter, has not been reached since Tuesday, December 29th. No news can be heard after he said on the phone that he will go to Kocaeli with his daughters for New Year’s Eve from Ankara. What happened? ” asked.

Rebacca Harms, human rights defender and Green Member of EUParliament 2004-2019 re-tweet Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu’s tweet and ask Where is Hüseyin Galip Küçüközyiğit? in English, in German, in French, and in Italian languages.

Küçüközyiğit’s daughter said

“In our last meeting, he said that he would come to us for New Year’s Eve on Wednesday morning at 15.40. We could not reach your phone again. Although I applied to the police the first 2-3 days ago, I did not write on social media, just in case, but we still cannot reach it.

There is no possibility that my father will not inform us for such a long time after he says I am coming to you. I have read similar incidents on social media about the Statutory Decrees. I do not have any witnesses or images of his abduction. However, it is not possible for us to remain unaware of that long. He did not have any health problems either; he was not in a hospital or in detention. Unfortunately, I cannot think of another possibility. At first, I thought I should expect a big accusation, but I do not want to be late for such a possibility. Anyway, my main question is where my father is. Unfortunately, I cannot find an interlocutor on the subject. That is why I decided to announce it on social media. “**

 

Küçüközyiğit and her daughter

As Broken Chalk, we ask the Turkish Government to do all the necessary investigation of Küçüközyiğit’s disappearance. And ask all the human rights defenders and organizations to follow the Küçüközyiğit’s case to pressure the authorities for them to do all necessary acts.

Broken Chalk

* https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/10/12/custody/police-torture-and-abductions-turkey

** https://www.tr724.com/bir-kacirilma-vakasi-daha-mi-6-gundur-haber-alinamiyor/

 

 

Children’s rights in The Netherlands

This article is a summary of the report on Children’s Rights in The Netherlands

The list of pre-reporting issues (LOIPR) is the result of extensive consultation between Dutch non-governmental organizations (NGOs), youth and experts by the Dutch NGO Children’s Rights Coalition.

More than 80 NGOs and experts have contributed and/or approved the LOIPR.

The Caribbean Netherlands

1- Matters of Concern BES Islands

UNICEF Netherlands conducted situational analyzes (SitAns) in 2018-2019 to assess the level of child rights compliance in the Caribbean Netherlands since 2013, at the request of the governments of the State and the BES islands. Worrying issues are mentioned below,

  • Poverty and the lack of a social minimum as a benchmark for poverty policy

Many children on the islands are estimated to still grow up in poverty, which could limit their access to basic necessities such as food and clothing.

  • Inadequate access to childcare and after school facilities

In Bonaire, 62% of children aged 0 to 4 have access to childcare. In St. Eustatius this is 67% and in Saba 80%.

While 25% of children (5-12 years old) participate in after-school care programs in Bonaire, 50% in St. Eustatius and 80% in Saba.

The government runs the “BES (t) 4 children” program to provide high quality, safe and affordable childcare and after-school care facilities for 0-12 year olds in the Caribbean Netherlands.

  • Lack of legislation prohibiting child maltreatment and corporal punishment

There is no legislation prohibiting corporal punishment in the BES islands.

  • Çocuk Ceza Hukuku

At the end of 2019, juvenile criminal law will enter into force, preventing minors from obtaining criminal records.

 

The European Netherlands

GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

2- Lack of information on children’s rights

Only 34% of the youth say they know the CRC. Adults have no knowledge of children’s rights due to lack of education.

3- Not Ensuring the Transformation of Youth Care Due to Lack of Expertise and Finance

It is a lack of vision regarding the role of government in supporting the upbringing and education of children.

4- reservations regarding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

The reservations made by articles 26, 37, and 40 of the CRC are still in force. These articles cover the child’s right to social security, the prohibition of applying adult criminal law to children aged 16 and over, and the child’s right to legal aid.

5- Minimal Monitoring

The current method of data collection, children’s enrolment groups, makes it impossible to develop a targeted policy or evaluate the policy’s effectiveness.

6- Children’s Rights Are Insufficiently Guaranteed in Business and Trade Policy

The wide variety of children’s rights that may or may be violated in companies’ production chains are not adequately protected by the government.

 

General Principles

7- Meaningful Participation of Children and Young People in Policy and Practice

In the Netherlands, the participation of children and young people is gaining more and more attention. Still, meaningful participation of children in all aspects of policy and practice is not yet structurally guaranteed.

Child participation is also fragmented in municipalities. It differs by region, by municipality, and within municipalities.

8- Punishment According to the Activities of Child Parents

In the Netherlands, children appear to be punished for the activities of their parents, although there are situations in which punishment is not allowed under Article 2.2 of the CRC. An example is the birth of a child with (part of) parents / family who do not have resident status in the Netherlands

9- Inadequate Enforcement of Immigration Law in the Best Interest of Children

The best interests of the child (BIC) is not adequately covered in immigration law. A bill to protect BIC in immigration law has been pending since 2016, but has not yet received sufficient political support.

10- Insufficient Protection of Child Rights Defenders in Foreign Policy

In some countries, adequate care is not taken to protect these children who are in danger due to their activities.

11- Damage to Children Deported from the Netherlands after a Five-Year Residence

University research (2018) concluded that the expulsion of children staying in the Netherlands for more than five years has resulted in developmental harm.

 

VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

12- Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence

Between 90,000 and 127,000 children experienced some form of child abuse in 2017.

13- Abused children do not receive timely and adequate assistance

Waiting lists and non-timely and assistance are the result of a tight municipal budget, insufficient co-operation between authorities, or the problems of necessary – and sometimes more expensive, specialist care.

14- Prevention of Child Abuse and domestic violence is missing in many municipalities

The Children’s Ombudsman’s Office reported this in 2014 and 2017.

 

Family Situations and Alternative Care

15- Inadequate cooperation and adaptation in youth care and other areas

In order to provide adequate care for children, it is important that the transformation in youth care is carried out functionally. This has not been done successfully enough.

16- Food industry inadequately protects Children from Marketing of Unhealthy Foods

A total of 11.7% of Dutch children (4-17 years old) are overweight and 2.7% of them are obese.

The food industry affects children’s diets through marketing techniques for selling foods and beverages rich in sugar, salt and fat.

17- information about origin not Available to All Children

The sale of children for exploitation is a criminal offence in the Netherlands.

There is no general prohibition in the Criminal Code on the sale of children, including for adoption purposes; This means that intermediaries or parents who earn money from the adoption process cannot be avoided.

18-Poverty among children continues to exist due to the lack of national vision and unequal access to (effective) poverty policy for children in municipalities.

In the Netherlands, a total of 292,000 children are growing up in poverty, 117,000 of them in a long-term low-income family (at least four years in a row). Despite the economic growth in recent years, this number has hardly decreased.

In the Netherlands, childcare allowance provisions are complex to apply and difficult to access. Families face the risk of repayment if there is a (minimum) increase in income.

 

EDUCATION

19- The education system is inadequate for children with disabilities

A concrete plan for the realization of inclusive education is missing. Also, a legal definition and aims of inclusive education have yet to be studied.

For many children there is no place in education. In 2017-2018, a total of 14,265 children ‘stayed at home’, of which 5,576 were exempted from compulsory education for physical or psychological reasons, and 4,515 students were included in the ‘absolute absenteeism’ category.

20- Unequal Opportunities and Differentiation in Education

When it comes to choosing a secondary school for a primary school student, recommendations for children who score evenly on their final exam are structurally different for children with parents with higher or lower education. The lower educated parent group usually includes non-Western children. This leads to inequality.

21- Quality of education under pressure due to lack of teachers

Performance in primary and secondary education is steadily decreasing. There is an increasing shortage of teachers. Some schools pass four days to one school week due to shortages.

The full-time teacher deficit is expected to rise to 4,100 in 2022 and 11,000 in 2027.

 

SPECIAL PROTECTION MEASURES

22- Online-sexual harassment of children is on the rise

The Netherlands ranks in the top three in the list of countries where sexual abuse images of children are hosted on the website.

The number of notifications to the police increased from around 3,000 in 2014 to about 18,000 in 2017.

23- Inadequate measures to reduce human trafficking

Municipalities have the authority to care for victims of human trafficking and to combat perpetrators. However, 95% of municipalities do not have specific policies for this.

24- Lack of Legal Representative at all stages of the penal procedure

Some children questioned by the police do not have access to a lawyer.

25- Children are still often waiting in police cells

Children are still kept in police cells very often and for too long, where almost no attention is paid to their age and vulnerability.

26- Excessive pressure in young care

There is a growing concern in the implementation of measures that restrict children’s freedom (room placements, isolation, limited phone and internet use, and room controls), particularly in residential youth care facilities and mental health institutions.

27- Asylum Centers are not child friendly enough

The joint research of the Children Working Group in refugee centers raised the following concerns about the living conditions of 7,000 refugee children.

–   Access to mental health services

  • Lack of privacy due to prolonged sharing of living spaces puts pressure on family relationships;
  • Activities offered in refugee centers do not meet the needs of children;

28- The children are still in custody

Although the Dutch government has stated that detention of foreign children is used only as a last resort, practice (sometimes) shows the opposite.

29- Unaccompanied Foreign Children

The removal of the special residence permit (AMV-vergunning) for Unaccompanied Foreign Children (UMFNs) in 2013, in order to provide faster clarity in their situation, did not improve the situation.

30- Further Disappearance of Unaccompanied Foreigners

The number of Unaccompanied Foreign Nationals (UMFNs) disappearing is increasing every year. 360 people disappeared in 2017.

The daily newspaper ‘NRC’ reported that more than 1,600 asylum-seeking children have fled reception places in the last 4.5 years.

 

Brokenchalk

Press Release: Human Rights Day with theme #RecoverBetter, #StandUp4HumanRights

Human rights advocates agree that seventy-two years after its issue, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is still more a dream than reality. Violations exist in every part of the world. Including the most develop and democratic countries. Human Rights Watch publish her report for 2020; it includes Australia, Canada, and the United States.[1]

Article 1 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.[2]

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all Humans have a right to access Education, health-care, economic opportunities, and a decent standard of living. That is about not only our future but also the future of our children and grandchildren.

The efforts which done by State Governments, Human Rights Organizations, and Human Rights Defenders are not enough to fight against the Human Rights Violation. We encourage all the stakeholders to concentrate on Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
(1) Everyone has the right to Education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary Education shall be compulsory.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the United Nations’ activities for the maintenance of peace.[3]

The main problem of humanity is the lack of proper Education.  Education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the world. More than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school, and 759 million adults are illiterate. They do not have the awareness necessary to improve both their living conditions and those of their children.[4] With the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, at least 463 million children globally – were unable to access remote learning when COVID-19 shuttered their schools.[5]

The light of Education can help us eliminate the evils from the society and introduce good thoughts. We want to take all stakeholders and public attention such that Education is in danger in different parts of the world. The attacks range from the bombing of schools to the killing of students and teachers. Rape and sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and forced recruitment also occurred, instigated by armed groups. Attacks on Education harm the students and teachers, but they also affect the communities both in the short and long term.

To mention a few of this from many,

  • Nigeria: 611 Teachers Killed, 910 Schools Destroyed in Nine Years in Northeast[6]
  • More than 22,000 students and teachers were harmed or killed in attacks on Education in the last five years.[7]
  • America: Since 2009, at least 177 of America’s schools experienced a shooting.[8] Attackers killed 110 students and teachers, 246 injured.[9]
  • Between 2015 and 2019, 93 countries experienced at least one attack on Education, 19 more countries than in the previous reporting period of 2013-2017.[10]
  • Yemen and the Democratic Republic of Congo were particularly badly hit, with 1,500 attacks on schools in each country, and Afghanistan, Palestine, and Syria all saw 500.[11]
  • Ukraine: Since the conflict began in early 2014, more than 750 educational facilities on both sides of the contact line have been damaged or destroyed due to hostilities.[12]
  • In Turkey: According to the data compiled by the Union of Education (Eğitim-Sen), Government dismissed 41,005 educators.[13] In addition to that, sixteen private universities, where more than 56,000 students were taking high Education, were also closed, and thus 5,342 people, including 2,465 academicians, lost their jobs.[14]

Children and young people are silent victims of global bureaucracies, whose creative statistics and evasive vocabulary disguise their failure to translate any of the promises made into reality. The law, which mandates Education to be free and compulsory, has been thrown aside.  People in emerging countries are forced to pay up to a third of their annual income to keep a child at school. Worse, children have to work, even at school, to pay the cost of their primary Education.[15]

As Broken Chalk, with the reputable community and press members, we continue to claim the rights to Education through the national and international judiciary. We want to draw the attention of governments, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and human rights defenders to fight against the Human Rights Violations that educators are facing.

We wish with this great Human Rights Days will be the era for the entire individual to stand against Human Rights Violations.

Broken Chalk announces it to the public with due respect.

10.12.2020

Signed by

Broken Chalk

Human_Rights_Day_2020_Press_Release_PDF

[1] https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/world_report_download/hrw_world_report_2020_0.pdf

[2] https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

[3] https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

[4] https://www.humanium.org/en/right-to-education/

[5] https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/covid-19-least-third-worlds-schoolchildren-unable-access-remote-learning-during

[6] https://allafrica.com/stories/202009090067.html

[7] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/22000-students-teachers-harmed-killed-attacks-education-last/

[8] https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3dbf6b680fc84036a3503159a96d50f2

[9] https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2019/07/us/ten-years-of-school-shootings-trnd/

[10] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/22000-students-teachers-harmed-killed-attacks-education-last/

[11] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/22000-students-teachers-harmed-killed-attacks-education-last/

[12] https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/attacks-schools-quadruple-conflict-hit-eastern-ukraine-unicef

[13] https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-teacher-not-assigned-over-his-alleged-links-to-gulen-movement-killed-in-workplace-accident/

[14] https://stockholmcf.org/turkey-celebrates-teachers-day-as-tens-of-thousands-of-dismissed-teachers-jobless-or-in-prisons/

[15] http://www.katarinatomasevski.com/

AMENDMENT PROPOSALS for the DRAFT REPORT on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey (2019/2176(INI))

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Broken Chalk is a human rights organization and mainly concentrates on violations in the educational field. We were acting as a platform; however, we became a fully registered organization in the Netherlands in October 2020.

Our team has prepared some amendment proposals for the Draft Report on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey by European Parliament that we would like to present to you and your office.

As mentioned in the Draft Report, the relationship between the EU and Turkey is now at its lowest point. The number of human rights violations in Turkey is increasing day by day. As you may observe, the number of people facing human rights violations in Turkey is much more than known ever.

It is mentioned in the European Commission Turkey 2020 Report that Turkey has prioritized the fight against the dismantling of the Gülen movement.[1]

Interior Minister for Turkey, Soylu said, “Since 15 July 2016, 99 thousand 66 operations have been carried out, 282 thousand 790 detentions and 94 thousand 975 arrests have been carried out. The number of people who are still detained under this crime is 25 thousand 912”.[2] The only evidence for most of the above cases is to have a link with the Gülen movement.[3]

European Court for Human Rights agreed with the Turkish Government. To stop the court from being overwhelmed, in January 2017, Turkey would establish an Inquiry Commission on the State of Emergency to provide a judicial review level to those dismissed by decree during the state of emergency period.[4] As of 3 July 2020, 126,300 applications were made to the Commission, and decisions were issued in 108,200 cases. Of those, 96,000 were rejected – meaning the original decree decision was upheld – and in 12,200 cases, the application for appeal was accepted.[5]

At this point, we would like to present our amendments for the Draft Report; we hope that you will work for the European Parliaments to add the following amendments to the Report.

Proposals for The rule of law and fundamental rights

 Amendment  1

Present Text Text with Amendment
(8)        Is appalled by the serious backsliding on fundamental freedoms revealing the dire human rights situation in Turkey and the continued erosion of democracy and the rule of law; (8)        Is appalled by the serious backsliding on fundamental freedoms revealing the dire human rights situation in Turkey and the continued erosion of democracy and the rule of law; since 15 July 2016, 99 thousand 66 operations have been carried out, 282 thousand 790 detentions and 94 thousand 975 arrests have been carried out. The number of people who are still detained under this crime[6] is 25 thousand 912.[7] To have alleged affiliation with the Gülen movement should not be taken as a crime.[8] To be a member of a legal but closed association should not be taken perceived to be opposing the Government.[9]

Amendment  2

Present Text Text with Amendment
(10)      Notes with deep concern that, despite the formal lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, its impact on democracy and fundamental rights continues to be strongly felt;. (10)      Notes with deep concern that, despite the formal lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, its impact on democracy and fundamental rights continues to be strongly felt. Since July 2016, authorities have published lists of those dismissed from public service and put markers against them in the state social insurance system’s registration system (SGK). Those people have been legally banned from working in public sector again; marking them in the SGK system significantly reduces their chances of finding alternative employment in private sector and stigmatizes them socially.[10] The government has seized or appointed administrators for approximately 1,000 businesses, worth an estimated USD12 billion, accused of having links to the Gülen movement[11] including private schools, 16[12] universities and educational intuitions (2761 entities were closed down[13]). To handover, back these companies and intuitions to their owners.

 

Amendment  3

Present Text Text with Amendment
(11)      Deeply regrets that this repressive form of rule has now become a deliberate, relentless, systematic state policy, which extends to any critical activities, such as Kurdish activism, or even to events that took place prior to the attempted coup, such as the Gezi protests; (11)      Deeply regrets that this repressive form of rule has now become a deliberate, relentless, systematic state policy, which extends to any critical activities, such as Kurdish activism, to defend the rights of members or sympathizers of Gülen Movement, or even to events that took place prior to the attempted coup, such as the Gezi protests;

Amendment  4

Present Text Text with Amendment
(12)      Regrets that the current overly broad anti-terrorism provisions and the abuse of the anti-terror measures have become the backbone of this state policy; reiterates its firm condemnation of the violence by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU list of terrorist organizations since 2002; (12)      Regrets that the current overly broad anti-terrorism provisions and the abuse of the anti-terror measures have become the backbone of this state policy; in which 69,259 people have been on trial, and 155,560 people have been under criminal investigation on terrorism charges in cases linked to the Gülen movement, which Turkish authorities deems this movement as a terrorist organization, and 29,487 of those have been held in prison either on remand or following conviction;[14] reiterates its firm condemnation of the violence by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been on the EU list of terrorist organizations since 2002;

Amendment  5

Present Text Text with Amendment
(13)      Considers that the erosion of the rule of law and the systemic lack of independence of the judiciary continues to be one of the most pressing and worrying issues; condemns the increased surveillance by the executive and the political pressure affecting the work of judges, prosecutors, lawyers and bar associations; (13)      Considers that the erosion of the rule of law and the systemic lack of independence of the judiciary continues to be one of the most pressing and worrying issues; condemns the increased surveillance by the executive and the political pressure affecting the work of judges, prosecutors, lawyers and bar associations; in some cases higher courts correct excesses of prosecutors and lower courts, but these higher court judgments arrive too late to mitigate the chilling effect caused by the criminal proceedings.[15]

Amendment  6

Present Text Text with Amendment
(14)      Is deeply worried about the disregard by the Turkish judiciary of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings and the increasing non-compliance of lower courts with the judgments of the Constitutional Court; (14)      Is deeply worried about the disregard by the Turkish judiciary of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings and the increasing non-compliance of lower courts with the judgments of the Constitutional Court; Former deputy chief justice of Turkey’s Constitutional Court Alparslan Altan is still behind the bars despite the decision of ECtHR.[16]

Amendment  7

Present Text Text with Amendment
(17)      Notes with great concern the way that the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) has been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities; strongly condemns the continued detention of former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş; (17)      Notes with great concern the way that the Gülen movement and the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) have been specifically and continuously targeted by the Turkish authorities; strongly condemns the continued detention of former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas;

Amendment  8

Present Text Text with Amendment
(18)      Calls on Turkey to release all    imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, academics and others who have been detained on unsubstantiated charges and to enable them to carry out their work without threat or impediment in all circumstances; strongly condemns the re-arrest and continued detention of Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figure;

 

 

 (18)      Calls on Turkey to release all imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, academics, teachers, mothers with their babies[17],  and others who have been detained on unsubstantiated charges, who did not commit any crime other than being affiliated with groups the regime sees as political threats[18] and to enable them to carry out their work without threat or impediment in all circumstances; strongly condemns the re-arrest and continued detention of Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figure; of Memduh Boydak, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Closed Melikşah University, Tekin Ipek brother to Hamdi Akin Ipek, founder of Closed Ipek University and Prof. Sedat Laciner, former rector of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. To release the 1333 sick prisoners, 457 of which are in severe conditions.[19] To release Journalist Hanım Büşra Erdal eligible for release on probation according to Turkish legislation on sentences’ execution.[20]

 

Proposals for Wider EU-Turkey relations and Turkish foreign policy

Amendment  9

Present Text Text with Amendment
(35-NEW)

 

 

 (35-NEW)   Turkish Government puts pressure on authorities in the Western Balkans to extradite alleged participants of the Gülen movement and seize the educational institutions known as affiliated with the Gülen Movement. Kosovo[21], Albania[22], and Moldova[23] extradite some people to Turkey; to stop the pressure in the Western Balkan countries on educational institutions[24] to seize them.

We kindly propose and request the amendments above to be included in the Final Report. If you need more information or explanation on any of the amendments above, we are always ready to supply.

 

Broken Chalk

 

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/turkey_report_2020.pdf

[2] https://tr.sputniknews.com/turkiye/202007151042459379-soylu-15-temmuz-2016dan-bu-yana-282-bin-790-gozalti-ve-94-bin-975-tutuklama-gerceklestirildi/

[3] https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/country-information-report-turkey.pdf

[4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/COUNTRY_19_2781

[5] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/COUNTRY_19_2781

[6] Soylu said in his speech in the scope of the fight against Gulen movement, Soylu did not state against the coup attack.

[7] https://tr.sputniknews.com/turkiye/202007151042459379-soylu-15-temmuz-2016dan-bu-yana-282-bin-790-gozalti-ve-94-bin-975-tutuklama-gerceklestirildi/

[8] https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/06/10/Why-is-Turkey-s-Erdogan-persecuting-the-Gulen-movement-

[9] https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/turkey_report_2020.pdf

[10] https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/country-information-report-turkey.pdf

[11] https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/country-information-report-turkey.pdf

[12] Known as 15 but recently The Şehir University in Istanbul was closed by a presidential decree of 30 June 2020.

[13] https://rm.coe.int/report-on-the-visit-to-turkey-by-dunja-mijatovic-council-of-europe-com/168099823e

[14] https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/turkey

[15] https://rm.coe.int/report-on-the-visit-to-turkey-by-dunja-mijatovic-council-of-europe-com/168099823e

[16] https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-constitutional-courts-new-mission-is-to-ignore-unlawful-acts-and-to-legitimize-them-says-jailed-former-deputy-chief-justice/

[17] Today, at least 743 children below the age of six live behind bars in Turkey. About half have not even reached the age of 3, says Saban Yilmaz, who heads the parliamentary human rights commission. From https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-babies-behind-bars/a-49320769

[18] https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/turkey-covid-19-prisoners-release/

[19] https://m.bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/207245-ihd-hapishanelerde-457-si-agir-1333-hasta-mahpus-var

[20] https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-authorities-refuse-to-release-political-prisoners-who-served-their-prison-times/

[21] https://br.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-kosovo-idUSKBN1H51JL

[22] https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/turkey_report_2020.pdf

[23] http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-193614

[24] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/albania-closes-schools-run-by-feto-terror-group/1985350