SEX AND POWER IN TURKEY. Feminism, Islam and the Maturing of Turkish Democracy
SEX AND POWER IN TURKEY. Feminism, Islam and the Maturing of Turkish Democracy

Author(s): Author Not Specified
Subject(s): Gender Studies, Public Law, Sociology of Culture
Published by: ESI – European Stability Initiative
Keywords: women in Turkey; feminism in Turkey; secular Turkey; islamic Turkey; Kemalist Turkey;
Summary/Abstract: There are some who fear that Turkey may be turning its back on its secular traditions. Some of the loudest voices come from Kemalist women, who insist that the rise of ‘political Islam’ represents an acute threat to the rights and freedoms of Turkish women. There have even been calls for restrictions to Turkish democracy, to protect women’s rights. Yet such an ‘authoritarian feminism’ is out of touch with the reality of contemporary Turkey and the achievements of recent years. || Turkey has a long road ahead of it in narrowing its gender gap. In a recent international study, Turkey ranked an embarrassing 105th of 115 countries – far behind the worst-ranking EU member. Improving gender equality will involve tackling a series of deeply entrenched problems, from improving access to education in rural regions to removing the institutional and social barriers to women’s participation in the workforce. Elections in July this year will test the commitment of Turkey’s political parties to increasing the number of women in parliament. || It is these issues which deserve to be at the centre of the current political debate in Turkey. And it is only the maturing and further development of Turkish democracy that holds out the promise of a genuine liberation of Turkish women.

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