Türkiye marks 90th year of women’s suffrage
ANKARA
Several female politicians and businesspeople participated in various events and commemorated modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on Dec. 5, as Türkiye marked the 90th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote and stand for parliamentary elections.
While Türkiye initially introduced laws in 1930 and 1933 enabling women to engage in politics at the municipal and village levels, it was the law passed on Dec. 5, 1934, that fully opened the political path for women.
Currently, there are 118 female deputies in Türkiye’s parliament, constituting nearly one-fifth of the parliament, in terms of gender. The ratio of women to men in parliaments around the world is 26 percent.
However, within the cabinet, comprising 17 ministries, there is only a single female minister.
“This step, which promotes the equal participation of women in life, has paved the way for all individuals to lead a more just, egalitarian and inclusive existence. This achievement forms the foundation of a strong society,” Family and Social Policies Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş wrote in a special commemorative book during a ceremony held at Atatürk’s mausoleum, Anıtkabir.
The ceremony was attended by numerous women from both the political and business spheres, who paid their respects by laying flowers at Atatürk’s tomb.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş remarked, “We will continue to work towards further enhancing the role of women, who have always stood out with their strong presence in social life, in Türkiye’s future.”
Asu Kaya, the chairperson of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Women’s Branch, drew attention to the underrepresentation of female parliamentarians, which falls below the global average. She called for the removal of obstacles preventing women from assuming positions in decision-making processes.
Filiz Kılıç, the deputy group chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), emphasized that thanks to Atatürk, the heroic Turkish women secured their political rights before the women of many other nations.
