The Role of Women in Turkish Political Life 1923--1980

Abstract

The role of women in society is often a strong indicator and evidence of the progress and civilization of the state, and is considered one of the most important topics discussed in election propaganda and other new political systems and reforms that promise women the largest share of democracy and justice. Turkish women have lived through different systems and coexisted with different trends. These systems controlled the smallest details of their lives, from their external appearance and the number of their children to their participation in political life and their appointment to the highest positions in the government.

      The issue of women's rights in Turkey has been raised since the mid-nineteenth century, as women were subjected to various forms of pressure and deprivation. Women's problems in Turkey were summarized in their exposure to domestic violence, social pressures, discrimination at work, and deprivation of education. Hence, the importance of studying the changes that occurred in the status of women at the emergence of modern Turkey.

The research is divided into an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, and a list of sources.

      The first chapter addressed the status of Turkish women during the Ottoman era and their role in the War of Independence. The second chapter addressed the changes that occurred in Turkish women at the emergence of the Turkish Republic, while the third chapter shed light on the political positions held by Turkish women in the Turkish state, as well as some pioneers of the Turkish feminist movement.