Türkiye

International Conference on Women and Governance in Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent states was organized as a joint effort of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in association with Turkish International Cooperation & Development Agency (TIKA) under the Framework of the South-south cooperation Project.

The need to protect women against violence and trafficking and to improve their educational opportunities were among the issues highlighted in the introduction to the hearing - titled "The role of women in Turkey in social, economic and political life" - given by MEP Emine Bozkurt (PES, NL), the author of EP reports on women in Turkey in 2005 and 2007. It was not enough to adopt new laws, she said, these laws also need to be implemented.

Founding member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Fatma Bostan Ünsal submitted her application for candidacy for the June 12 election, saying that it was her duty to apply, to represent women wearing headscarves in Turkey.

A recent opinion poll has revealed that an overwhelming majority of the Turkish population favors the election of headscarved women to Parliament as deputies, amidst a heated debate over whether political parties can reach a consensus to allow women to enter Parliament with their headscarves.

To read the complete article please visit Today's Zaman 

Amid election promises posed by political parties, a group of women formed a movement with the slogan “No headscarf-wearing candidate – No votes,” demanding that political parties in Turkey include headscarf-wearing candidates in their deputy lists. Spokespeople of the initiative explained their stance to the daily Radikal.

To read the complete article, please visit: DailyNews&EconomicReview

Working in nongovernmental organizations seems to be bringing women closer to politics. A number of NGOs in Turkey are sending their members to Parliament to work for the empowerment of women in the legislative or even executive bodies.  

Nine members of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, or KAGİDER, have become candidate nominees for the June 12 elections. 

To read the complete article please visit Hurriyet Daily News 

With the forthcoming elections of June 2011, the issue of “equal representation of women” in the parliament is back on the agenda.  While many women are being candidates for the elections, they also expect the politicians to nominate them to the positions that they might be elected in the lists. Many women question the reasons behind their underrepresentation in the government, despite the fact that they take active role in youth and women branches of politics and face the public directly. 

Following the naming of transsexual Öykü Özen as a candidate nominee from the main opposition, another transsexual has applied to run for Parliament from the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP.

To read the complete article please visit Hurriyet Daily News 

Working in nongovernmental organizations seems to be bringing women closer to politics. A number of NGOs in Turkey are sending their members to Parliament to work for the empowerment of women in the legislative or even executive bodies. Nine members of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, or KAGİDER, have become candidate nominees for the June 12 elections.

For more information, please visit: HurriyetDailyNews