Women not equal to men, says Turkish premier

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said women are not equal to men and accused feminists of not understanding the special status that Islam attributes to mothers.

Addressing a meeting in Istanbul on women and justice, Mr Erdogan said men and women are created differently, that women cannot be expected to undertake the same work as men, and that mothers enjoy a high position that only they can reach.

“You cannot put women and men on an equal footing. It is against nature. They were created differently. Their nature is different. Their constitution is different,” Mr Erdogan said.