Turkey’s President Erdogan ignites debate by stating Family Planning is against Islamic Beliefs

Religion dominates gender equality

The land of tulips and Santa Claus has caught into controversy. Turkey being a developing secular nation, there is no separation between the religion and the State. It is a country with 98% of Muslims, just like Pakistan. The Islamic Council in Pakistan says Pakistani husbands can 'lightly beat' their wives as it goes against the Islamic tradition. This has raised the issue of gender equality and left a remark on people's minds about religion.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey recently announced that no birth control methods or family planning should be done by Muslims as it violates the Muslim traditions.

On Monday(30th May) in a televised speech he said "We will multiply our descendants. They talk about population planning, birth control. No Muslim family can do have such an approach"

People have been pushing things just in the name of religion. "A husband should be allowed to lightly beat his wife if she defies his commands and refuses to dress up as per his desires; turns down demand of intercourse without any religious excuse or does not take bath after intercourse or menstrual periods," the Pakistani Islamic Council report states, according to Pakistan's Express-Tribune newspaper. Along with this, Pakistan had banned the broadcast of birth control advertisements which is now partially removed.

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Speaking against gender equality, Mr President has angered many women's group in the past by dictating the exact number of children a woman should have. Cesarean births have been limited in Turkey, saying women who give birth that way generally cannot have more than one more child. And attempts to ban abortion had been taken place.

Many such cruel steps have been taken which circle around the disenfranchising of women and her power. The recent Female Genital Mutilation too has been the main topic of discussion in many councils.

-by Vrushali Mahajan. Vrushali is pursuing her graduation in Journalism and is an intern at NewsGram. You can reach the author at twitter- Vrushali Mahajan

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• Pakistan partially lifts 'Ban' on the broadcast of Birth Control ads

• A doctor's 'jihad' to popularize birth control among Assam's Muslims