There is a real risk by political parties to undermine the spirit behind the women's quota system which is provided for in the Constitution aimed at empowering women by reserving 60 National Assembly seats for them.

Political parties should be required to publish details of their election candidates by gender to highlight the "shameful" gap in numbers between men and women, campaigners are arguing.

The Centenary Action Group, which wants equal representation in Parliament, said a lack of information meant it was harder to hold parties to account.

They say ministers are able to force compliance under the 2010 Equality Act.

The Lower House moved to address the low representation of women in politics with a bill April 12 urging political parties to field male and female candidates in national and local assembly elections in equal numbers.

The proposed legislation could provide a long-needed incentive to get more women to enter politics. But whether the bill will rectify the disproportionate gender gap remains to be seen as the legislation comes with no punitive clause.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Aug. 27 called on women and young people to get more involved in politics, on the second day of the ongoing “justice congress” in the northwestern Turkish province of Çanakkale. 

By Elin Falguera