Women’s Day Turkey
Women’s Right to Vote in Turkey
April 3, (1930)
Number of female heads of state to date: 1
The women’s right to vote in Turkey has a relatively recent history compared to some other countries. Turkey granted women the right to vote and stand for election in 1934, making it one of the early adopters of women’s suffrage in the Middle East.
The granting of suffrage to women in Turkey was part of a broader series of reforms known as the Kemalist reforms, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. Atatürk’s vision for Turkey included the establishment of a secular, modern, and democratic nation-state, which also entailed granting equal rights and opportunities to women.
In 1930, Atatürk introduced a series of civil and political rights reforms known as the “Law on the Unification of Rights.” This legislation aimed to eliminate gender-based discrimination and provided women with equal legal status to men. As part of this reform, women gained the right to vote and stand for election in local and national elections.
The first elections in which women could exercise their right to vote and run as candidates were held in 1935. Subsequently, women began to participate more actively in politics and contribute to the country’s democratic processes. Notably, Turkey elected its first female parliamentarian, Cevriye Hanım, in 1935.
However, it is important to note that despite the legal provision for women’s suffrage, societal and cultural factors, as well as other barriers, have influenced women’s actual participation and representation in politics in Turkey. Women’s political representation in Turkey has faced challenges over the years, with relatively low numbers of women in decision-making positions in comparison to men.
Efforts have been made to address these disparities and promote women’s political participation in Turkey. There have been initiatives to increase women’s representation in political parties, promote gender quotas, and raise awareness about the importance of women’s involvement in politics. Additionally, civil society organizations and women’s rights activists continue to advocate for gender equality and the empowerment of women in various spheres of life.
The women’s right to vote in Turkey represents a significant step toward gender equality and women’s political empowerment. However, ongoing efforts are necessary to ensure that women’s voices are fully represented and heard in political decision-making processes and to address existing gender disparities in Turkey’s political landscape.
Turkey’s suffragettes: Politics still wears a moustache
On 5 December 1934, Turkish women won the right to vote in national elections, ten years before the women of France.
They had already been able to vote and run for office in local elections since 1930, and the first woman to become a village chief, Gul Esin, was elected at Cine in the province of Aydin in 1933.
But, like almost everywhere else, this historic advance quickly met with strong opposition from the patriarchy and a long struggle lay ahead before women could participate fully in the political life of the country.
› alaraby.co.uk/Turkeys-suffragettes-Politics-still-wears-a-moustache