Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seldağ GÜNEŞ CEYLAN

Gazi University Faculty of Law Ankara - Türkiye

THE CHANGING POSITION

OF

TURKISH WOMEN

Throughout the history, many variables

have affected the rights of Turkish women.

Social and political improvement, legal

background, economical freedom are the

most important factors which circumscribe

the development of women rights in Turkey

and all around the world, as well.

TURKISH WOMEN IN THREE DIFFERENT TIME LINES

DURING THE OTTOMAN PERIOD

AFTER THE FOUNDATION OF THE REPUBLIC

TODAY

TURKISH WOMEN IN THE OTTOMAN PERIOD

In the Ottoman

period, Turkish

women lost their

higher position in

social structure in

comparison with the

early Turkish

communities.

After the early 15th

century, Ottoman State

expanded very rapidly

and turned into a

powerful Empire, while

the old Turkish

customs were forgotten

and the social position

of women deteriorated.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES FOR WOMEN

In the 19th century,

some newspapers and

magazines about

women and women

rights started to be

printed.

1869: First Women’s

Magazine “Terakki-i

Mukadderat”, 48

volumes

1886: “Şükûfezar”,

The owner and the all

staff were women

1895-1908:

“Hanımlara Mahsus

Gazete”, women

editor, 604 volumes

WOMEN IN THE AGE OF REORGANIZATIONAt the end of 19th

Century girl’s

education was

sponsored by the State

In 1900 the first

women’s association

was founded

The 2nd Constitution

of the Ottoman Empire

(1908): Women’s

education necessary

Towards the end of

the nineteenth

century, the status of

women began to be

improved to some

extent. In this

century, some legal

changes were made

in favor of women.

TURKISH WOMEN DURING THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCEAfter the First World War and during the

Turkey’s War of Independence (1919-1923), Turkish women played an important role. They founded their own units and sometimes fought in the ranks. As an acknowledgement of their bravery, courage, devotion to their national cause and the great role they performed in the history of the nation, Atatürk decided to restore women their rights which once their ancestors had.

TURKISH WOMEN AFTER THE FOUNDATION OF THE REPUBLIC

With the declaration of the Turkish Republic in

1923, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal

Atatürk, a sudden break was made with the old

values and concepts, which kept women in an

inferior status. The reforms of that period gave

women complete equality with men and with

their European counterparts.

WESTERNISATION IN THE 1920S

European clothes

obligatory

Latin alphabet

Western classical

music was thought

first time, in the

Istanbul’s

Conservatory

Right to voteRight to be elected

to the ParliamentLegal equality

between man and woman

Right to own properties

“Everything we see in the

world is the creative work of

women”

ATATÜRK

THE CODIFICATION OF SWISS CIVIL CODE - (ZGB)The codification of the Swiss Civil Code and Code

of Obligations represented a profound change in

the social life of Turkey.

By this adoption, Turkey entered into the legal

system of the continental Europe, which was

based on Roman law.

Abolished Polygamy,

Equal rights for women in divorce, custody,

inheritance

TURKISH CIVIL CODE - 1926created a privilege for women

beyond its era

after the Republic it was the first

time that women had their own

rights in the written codes

Turkey had the world's first women

supreme court judge

TURKISH CIVIL CODE – 2002 Turkish women’s movement became

stronger in the 1980s

After 1980s there was need to make some

necessary arrangements in TCC

In 1994 a commission was formed to

renovate TCC

In 2002 the new TCC came into force

TURKISH CIVIL CODE – 2002 Most of the changes were on family

relations and gender equality

The legal age of marriage became 17 for

both men and women which was before 17

for men and 15 for women

Full equality of men and women

emphasized, with some exceptions

Family was defined as a union, based on

equal partnership

MARRIAGE UNDER TCCMarriage is a registered official event

Religious marriages can be done only

after the official ceremony

Before, the married woman must take the

surname of her husband after the official

marriage

The new TCC indicates that the wife can

use her own surname only with her

husband's surname

In the last years, many

Governmental and non-

Governmental, internal and

international organizations have

been founded to implement women

rights and to prevent gender

discrimination