News Center- The Women's Platform for Equality (Eşitlik için Kadın Platformu, EŞİK) has released a written statement on Friday to mark the 90th anniversary of the recognition of women’s rights to vote and to stand for election in Türkiye.

On December 5, 1934, women gained the right to vote and stand for election in Türkiye, women still face obstacles in politics, the statement stressed. “After women were granted the right to vote and stand for election in 1934, 17 women entered the parliament in the general elections in 1937, making Türkiye second in national parliaments having the highest women’s representation.”

In 2023, women's participation in parliament in Türkiye was 19.9 percent.

No woman has been elected as a Member of Parliament in 17 cities, including Semsûr (Adıyaman), Bayburt, Rize, Sinop and Yozgat, since 1934, according to the statement. “Although women in Türkiye gained the right to vote and stand for election in 1934, no woman has been elected as a member of parliament in 17 cities. This shows the challenges faced by women in politics. The rights achieved by women through a long-running struggle have been eroded in the last 22 years,” EŞİK said in the statement, demanding a 50% quota for women in elections and all decision-making positions to have a secular and democratic country.

‘We will protect our rights and dreams’

Underlining that nothing can stop women’s struggle for equality, the platform said that they would keep protecting their rights and dreams, calling on everyone to support this struggle.