A/HRC/44/14 34. The head of delegation emphasized that it was regrettable that some countries were abusing the universal periodic review for their own political ends. The position of Turkey on the issue of Cyprus was very well known; the universal periodic review was not the right place to speak of the realities of the Cyprus conflict. The existence of Turkish troops on the island stemmed from the 1960 international treaties within the framework of rights and obligations of Turkey as a guarantor power. Issues such as missing persons, property and freedom of religion in Cyprus fell within the competence of the Turkish Cypriot authorities. 35. In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant Security Council resolutions, Turkey was entitled to exercise its inherent right to self-defence in response to threats to its national security. Turkey fully respected the territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty of its neighbours. 36. Cyprus made a point of order, stating that the present forum was not the appropriate one in which to deal with issues that were outside the mandate of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review. All recommendations made during the review should be treated equally and subsequently listed in the body of the report. It requested that the President reiterate to all delegations the need to abide by the rules and procedures governing the Working Group. 37. The President of the Human Rights Council recalled that the universal periodic review was not the forum for dealing with bilateral political, territorial or whatever other questions, but rather the universal periodic review agenda. The secretariat had been instructed to use United Nations terminology, that was an obvious fact. 38. The delegation of Turkey highlighted the fact that the 2018–2023 strategy paper and action plan on women’s empowerment was the most comprehensive plan aiming at equality of opportunity in all policy areas. Over the past 10 years, the number of women in the workforce had increased more than 50 per cent, from around 6 million to 9 million. 39. Two circulars had recently been issued, aiming to improve the implementation of the law on the protection of the family and prevention of violence against women. The first, issued by the Ministry of Justice, established an office to address domestic violence and violence against women, under the auspices of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office. The second, issued by the Ministry of the Interior, provided for training for 500,000 law enforcement personnel. Several other measures were being taken to combat violence against women, such as the establishment of specialized units in law enforcement offices, women’s shelters, a social support telephone helpline, an electronic bracelet system, a women’s support system mobile application, and various training and awareness-raising activities. 40. Turkey had also taken significant steps in the past five years to enhance children’s rights, notably with its ratification in 2017 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure. It had taken measures aimed at increasing the number of girls receiving education and at ending early and forced marriage. The National Programme for Combating Child Labour had been launched in 2017. Children could submit appeals through a separate web page on the site of the Ombudsman’s office. 41. Turkey had ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2015. Under its regulation on special education services, children with special needs either studied in the same classes as other children, or in special education classes equipped with the necessary materials. Furthermore, since 2018, mobile ballot boxes had been taken to persons unable to leave their houses owing to disability, enabling them to participate in elections. 42. Turkey categorically rejected the baseless allegations raised by the Syrian delegate, emphasizing the futile efforts aimed at diverting the international community’s attention away from the authorities’ continued appalling crimes and their refusal to engage constructively in the political process. Turkey was fully committed to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and unity of the Syrian Arab Republic and all its actions were in line with those principles. Turkey was entitled to exercise its inherent right to self-defence emanating from the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant Security Council resolutions in response to the threats to its national security. 6