’Human rights must be on agendas’
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Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 12, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Parliament’s Human Rights Committee President Zafer Üskül said he wanted mayoral candidates to start urban human rights projects, especially projects to assist the disabled.
"Campaigns for local elections have started but human rights have been disregarded in the campaigns. Human rights issues are not only affairs of the committee but also the business of local administrations," Üskül told reporters during a meeting in Parliament yesterday.
Pointing out that none of the local administrations in Turkey had signed the European Declaration of Urban Rights, which was accepted by the European Council in 1992, Üskül said the right to public transportation and the right to a healthy environment were the most commonly violated rights. "Especially in big cities without subways, it is impossible to say everyone can benefit from public transportation," he said.
Üskül drew attention to the physical surroundings in the city that prevented those with disabilities living and independent life. "I encountered a sidewalk that was a half-meter high in the Ataköy district of Istanbul," he said.
When asked about whether he warned his own party's, Justice and Development Party, or AKP, candidates on the issue, Üskül said he moved independently of his party membership when acting as the committee chairman. "All the mayoral candidates, regardless of their political party, should be sensitive to the subject," Üskül said.
Safe and secure city duty of administrators
The European Declaration of Urban Rights urges local administrations to take measures in many subjects to provide their citizens with a secure and safe city. The declaration is composed of 20 principles related to various issues, which include security, housing, facilities for sports activities, multicultural integration, equality and high-quality architecture.
Some of these principles include measurements to protect nature and natural resources, supply adequate and affordable housing with privacy and tranquility guarantees, and present unhampered mobility and freedom to travel for all street users, including private cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
Uskül had previously expressed his frustration at the amount of bureaucratic obstacles he had faced while trying to look into an alleged human rights violation that had involved a family in Istanbul. he had said that he was constantly given the runabout by the involved officials.
Pointing out that none of the local administrations in Turkey had signed the European Declaration of Urban Rights, which was accepted by the European Council in 1992, Üskül said the right to public transportation and the right to a healthy environment were the most commonly violated rights. "Especially in big cities without subways, it is impossible to say everyone can benefit from public transportation," he said.
Üskül drew attention to the physical surroundings in the city that prevented those with disabilities living and independent life. "I encountered a sidewalk that was a half-meter high in the Ataköy district of Istanbul," he said.
When asked about whether he warned his own party's, Justice and Development Party, or AKP, candidates on the issue, Üskül said he moved independently of his party membership when acting as the committee chairman. "All the mayoral candidates, regardless of their political party, should be sensitive to the subject," Üskül said.
Safe and secure city duty of administrators
The European Declaration of Urban Rights urges local administrations to take measures in many subjects to provide their citizens with a secure and safe city. The declaration is composed of 20 principles related to various issues, which include security, housing, facilities for sports activities, multicultural integration, equality and high-quality architecture.
Some of these principles include measurements to protect nature and natural resources, supply adequate and affordable housing with privacy and tranquility guarantees, and present unhampered mobility and freedom to travel for all street users, including private cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
Uskül had previously expressed his frustration at the amount of bureaucratic obstacles he had faced while trying to look into an alleged human rights violation that had involved a family in Istanbul. he had said that he was constantly given the runabout by the involved officials.