A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN IN TURKISH POLITICS

This paper deals with women's position in Turkish politics from the Ottoman Empire period to present. Turkey became an independent republic in 1923, but Turkish women officially entered into political life since 1930 and they have different social as well as political rights. Despite having different rights women are facing lots of challenges and difficulties to enter into politics. This paper deals with women's position in Turkish society and polity from the earlier time to present and how they had been treated in that time and their role also. The paper elaborates the political participation of women in Turkey and their different role in the political spheres. It discusses the national politics of Turkey and women's position in Turkish national politics. After the rise of political Islam in Turkey, women's representation in Turkish national politics has increased dramatically. Especially in the AK Party ruling era since 2002 women are the most beneficiaries in social as well as political spheres. It also talks different challenges of Turkish women in the political spheres and also provided different suggestions for the improvement of women's political representation in Turkish national politics.