Fırat Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Fırat University Journal of Social Science Cilt: 20, Sayı: 2, Sayfa: 287-300, ELAZIĞ-2010 A STUDY ON WOMEN IN TURKISH POLITICAL LIFE ∗ AND THE TURKISH WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS Türk Siyasal Yaşamında Kadınlar ve Türk Kadın Parlamenterler Üzerine Bir Çalışma Mehtap YEŞİLORMAN• ABSTRACT Gender discrimination, still continues an important question both developed and developing countries in 21st century. Politics has also carried on with standing for women as one of the most prominent privileged areas. In this context, women obtained political right the most recent in the history of the world. Although Turkish women gained the political rights before many European fellows, Turkish woman citizens still encounter a lot of problem in political life. Therefore, in this study firstly has been examined the history of fight for political rights of women both in Turkey and in the world. Following this, it has been analyzed the status’ of Turkish women in the general and local representation levels and the political positions of the Turkish women parliamentarians in Turkish political life. Key Words: Women, Women in Politics, Political Rights of Women, the Turkish Women Parliamentarians. ÖZET Cinsiyet ayırımcılığı, yirmi birinci yüzyılda gerek gelişmiş ve gerekse gelişmekte olan ülkelerde hala önemli bir sorun olmayı sürdürmektedir. Siyaset de, kadınlar için en önemli ayrıcalık alanlarından biri olarak kalmaya devam etmektedir. Bu bağlamda, kadınlar siyasal haklarını dünya tarihinde çok yakın bir zamanda elde etmiştir. Her ne kadar, Türk kadınları siyasal haklarını pek çok Avrupalı hemcinsinden önce elde etseler de, Türk kadın vatandaşlar siyasal yaşamda hala pek çok problemle karşılaşmaktadırlar. Bu yüzden bu çalışmada, öncelikle hem dünyada hem de Türkiye’deki kadınların siyasal haklar mücadelesinin tarihi gözden geçirilmiştir. Bunun ardından, Türk kadınlarının genel ve yerel temsil düzeyindeki durumları ve Türk kadın parlamenterlerin Türk siyasal yaşamındaki siyasal konumları incelenmiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Kadınlar, Siyasette Kadınlar, Kadınların Siyasal Hakları, Türk Parlamenter Kadınlar. ∗ This paper was presented in “Breaking the Glass Ceiling”, Second International Conference on Women’s Studies, EMU Centre for Women’s Studies, April 26-28 2006, Famagusta-North Cyprus • Doç. Dr., Fırat Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, Elazığ; [email protected] F.Ü.Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 2010-20/2 1. INTRODUCTION Gender discrimination is a social problem observed in the whole world without exempting the developed countries. In spite of changing social conditions, it is well known that some prejudice and negative applications exist for women in a great number of societies. Some qualifications of women which may be considered as a relative weakness in comparison to men, their natural differences from men and cultural and social values can be accepted as the bases which determine, institutionalize the differences and privileges between the genders, and lead the initiatives and activities. The opinions and attitudes mentioned made woman the most controlled actress of social life in the context of conservation of the current status. Especially women not taking place in political life effectively their general conditions in society cannot be improved. In this respect, equality of genders is related to the human rights and functionality of democracy. Therefore, this inequality can be solved, in the first place, by the improvement of democracy and the human rights. One of the ways to produce a solution to the inequality of genders is that women should gain more affectivity in politics. Generally, it can not be true approach to exempt women’s rights completely from political rights. Likewise, the fight of women for the suffrage is the peak point of woman activities, so called the first wave, in 19th and 20th centuries (Marshall, 1999: 374). In fact, it is not ethical and possible to deal with political rights in a society that women are deprived of the fundamental human rights. In such a society, discrimination between genders is natural in political life as well. This aspect can be described as a situation related to the position of women in society beside the level of democracy. Women acquired their political rights due to gains of human rights and citizenship culture which forms the heart of democracy. Democracy is a regime which supports citizens to take place in governing and political decision making mechanisms actively. It even functions on the base of competitions among the senior citizens in decision making and governing activities. Therefore, contributions of citizens taking responsibility for the political decision mechanisms are reacted positively by the system. In a sense, democracy guaranties the political rights and responsibilities of women since the women have the same political rights and responsibilities to the men in this regime. 2. THE HISTORY OF FIGHT FOR POLITICAL RIGHTS OF WOMEN 2.1. The Contend with Women’s Political Rights in the World When dealt with women’s political rights, the view focuses on democratic regime, yet the history of political rights traces back before this period of time. In this context, the 288 A Study on Women... political rights history of women can be evaluated in two categories; as in the world and in Turkey. Political rights were gained after a long and struggling period, even when gender discrimination is exempted in history of the world. Even in Athens’s democracy, political rights were some kind of privilege which could be employed by some social classes. As far as we know, not only women but had men except only the ones having wealth or noble ones no right of joining to the political activities. In fact, it is not possible to evaluate the women considering political rights due to the absence of written documents on women’s status in the societies of the ancient times (Arat, 1980:15). Women had a very superior role in society before the settled life according to some sources. This role continued until the transition period to the settled life era when men began to use their natural physical power in order to control the nature. Women suffered for social and political rights both in America and Europe. For example, the fight for political rights of women in England has a very remarkable history. In an old English law, women had the right of voting and contributing the courts. They were deprived of these rights later. Women benefited from a change in the voting law in 1832 in which the term “a person” was used in place of both woman and man and attempted to vote. John Stuart Mill made the first official speech in the House of Commons and asked suffrage for women by stating that the term “man” included woman as well. But this demand was rejected by 191 “no” votes against 73 “yes” (Arat, 1980: 36). It was expressed that women forced the parliament to enact the law in this issue and prepare the public in this fight for the first time in the world (Savcı, 1973: 24-26). In France, Christin de Pison (Savcı, 1973: 26) did studies on women’s rights and fight against the priests and church showing the most intense reaction. Although Leon Richier (Arat, 1980: 37-38), who was regarded as the real founder of women rights in France, organized a congress on women right in 1878 but French women obtained their rights only in 1945. Some say the date was 1944 (Ayata, 1998: 237). The first proclamation on women’s right was done by a male university student, Luise Otto in Germany in 1790 (Arat, 1980: 38). Women in Germany gained their political rights after 1918 but lost during Hitler and Napoleon era. In the later periods, this manner against women did not change and political parties beside unions continued this discrimination (Michel, 1984: 99). From the beginning of the 19th century, first England and then the other North European countries gave suffrage to women. After the Second World War, like the European countries, many countries in Asia and Africa recognized women’s rights. This historical improvement and recognition of women’s rights are based on the 289 F.Ü.Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 2010-20/2 principle of applying the contemporary thinking (Inan, 1973: 56). The reason why the women’s rights were recognized between 1918 and 1945 were due to the demands for political rights from women who were employed in state institutions and services in place of men going to war, as a result of protecting their economical and social positions they gained. The International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWA) was fighting against the groups objecting to woman suffrage and opening branches in many European Countries. Woman suffrage was recognized in 21 countries such as Austria, British East Africa, Canada, Crimea, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, England, Hungary, Island, Latvia, Latonia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Rhodesia, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine and USA (Michel, 1984: 115). Implementation of these rights by women did not cause a sudden change in practice. In oriental societies women remained more passive. Turkey is one of these countries. 2.2. The Struggle of Turkish Women on Political Rights When looked at Turkish history, some opinions are encountered stating that women had very high positions in society and were not different from men in activities. Even, there is some information that women went for hunting, used weapon, joined war games and represented the monarch in his absence by his permission. We learn from some sources that Turkish queens made policy, the orders of the king must have begun with the sentence of “the King and Queen say that” otherwise they would not be recognized. Similarly, it is seen in Oguzname (books) by Dede Korkut that Turkish women had a very primary importance and their heroism and motherhood were praised (Inan, 1973: 60). During Ottoman era, in the early times, the positive attitude for women continued due to the nomadic life, but later this situation dramatically changed.