There is no specific anti-discrimination or equal treatment legislation in Turkey. As Turkey is not a member of the European Union, Directives 2000/43 and 2000/78 have not been transposed. There is a draft Law on Combating Discrimination and Establishment of an Equality Council prepared by the government in 2009 and submitted to public discussion in 2010.

The material scope of the Directives is not reflected in the Turkish legislation. The protection from discrimination in the employment context only applies after the employment relationship is established. There are no specific laws governing anti-discrimination in other realms of public life or prohibition of ethnic and racial discrimination in all fields of life.

Currently, there is no specialized body established for the promotion of equal treatment. The draft law on anti-discrimination stipulates the establishment of one. On the other hand, there are a number of human rights bodies in Turkey, which can receive applications regarding violations of human rights, including discrimination. Among these are the Human Rights Presidency affiliated with the Prime Ministry, Human Rights Province Boards, Human Rights District Boards and Human Rights Inquiry Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. All of these are government bodies and their independence and impartiality are highly contested.