Turkey

2015: Attended the state consultations on the SSD in Geneva – led by Norway.

August 2016: CAAC Open Debate: “Regrettably, the international community has not been able to prevent the deaths and injuries sustained by thousands of children during attacks and air strikes, often conducted indiscriminately on schools, hospitals, marketplaces and internally displaced persons camps.”

February 2017: Very pleasant meeting as he knows Gisela well. But seemed doubtful of Turkish support, but cited reasons that weren’t necessarily on point with Declaration. He expressed the concern (as seen in other processes) that it could give legitimacy to non-state groups who get credibility for joining, but then do nothing. When we explained that we didn’t think that was an issue here, as this was a state-led process, and only states could endorse, he agreed to take a look at the document, which I believe he will do. And he obviously realized the connection to Syria.

March 2017: Attended the Buenos Aires Conference.

July 2018: UNSC Open Debate on children and armed conflict: 1) Co-sponsored resolution 2427 (2018). 2) Referred to military use of schools in the statement.

December 2018: GCPEA met with the Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of Turkey. She was very friendly, focusing on the children’s rights aspect. She responded to advocacy messaging concerning Turkey’s co-sponsorship of UN Security Council Resolution 2427, and also mentioned the language on education in the UNGA rights of the child resolution. She promised to make a positive recommendation to capital and invited us to stay in contact. GCPEA followed up in writing, sharing a letter for the Foreign Minister.

February 2019: GCPEA met with the Advisor. He was previously posted in the Turkish Permanent Mission to NATO.
GCPEA provided a general overview of the Declaration and the Guidelines and encouraged their attendance at the Spain conference. He promised to make a positive recommendation to capital and invited us to stay in contact. Follow-up: GCPEA followed up in writing, sharing a letter for the Foreign Minister.

April 2019: GCPEA met again with the Counsellor at the Permanent Mission. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Third International Conference and Turkey’s profile in Education Under Attack 2018. Concerning the conference, the Counsellor said that Turkey may send their ambassador in Madrid to the Spain conference.

May 2019: Participated in the Third International Conference in Palma. Further, UNSC PoC debate: underlined that attacks on schools and hospitals further exacerbate the already dire conditions in armed conflicts

November 2020: Joint press statement by the diplomatic missions of Australia, Canada, EU, NATO, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, UK and US in Kabul condemning the abhorrent attacks on education centres in #Afghanistan

May 2021: The representative highlighted that Turkey supports the commitments of the SSD in principle. She shared that the initial reason for non-endorsement was because her government feared the SSD was not a transparent process i.e., civil society rather than state-led negotiations. Further, Turkey associates GCPEA and Education under Attack 2018 and 2020 with the Safe Schools Declaration. The government does not understand the criteria for profiled countries and the scope of the research i.e., is it education in armed conflict settings or student protests.

September 2022: Endorsed the Call to Action on Education in crisis situations (refers to EuA22 data) at the Transforming Education Summit

November 2022: Endorsed the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) on 18 November during an International Conference hosted by Ireland, the leader and penholder behind the Declaration.