Fatma Bostan Unsal, one of the founders of the Turkish ruling party Justice and Development Party, asserted that over 13 million women wearing hijab are barred from contesting the parliamentary elections.
While Erdogan has agreed to meet today with the protest leaders, many
The local elections in March 2014 will have a vital bearing on the future of Turkish politics. The presence of women in the parliament, although still totally inadequate, went up to 14.5 % in the last elections. However, the status of women in local administrations is truly dismal.
Highlighting news, interviews, resources and events on violence against women in politics
Leyla Zana: Married at 14 to Mehdi Zana, a political Kurd some 20 years her senior who became mayor of Diyarbakir and spent 16 years in jail after the 1980 military coup, she found herself the single mother of two children.
Women activists in Turkey launched a new campaign aimed at increasing the number of women elected to parliament. The campaign depicts the patriarchal society in Turkey by featuring well-known women wearing false moustaches.
In Turkey women are becoming more enthusiastic over becoming parliamentary candidates, and almost all the political parties are trying to do something toward positive discrimination for women.
Turkish women are on the street protesting as never before as the fight to preserve Turkey's secular status gives them a louder political voice that could translate into parliamentary seats in this summer's elections.