President Ersin Tatar on Tuesday expressed his determination to contribute to finding solutions to all the challenges women face.
He praised the progress women have achieved in society in the last century in his message issued on December 5, International Women’s Rights Day, the day when Turkish women were granted the right to vote and be elected following changes made to the Turkish Republic’s Constitution.
He stated that under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, this revolution ensured the stronger presence of women in social life, marking a historic step toward the modernization of Turkish society.
“A historic step was taken towards the modernization of Turkish society,” Tatar said, highlighting that this revolution in women’s rights set an example for the world.
The president mentioned that countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Romania, and Bulgaria granted women citizens this right years after the Republic of Türkiye.
“Such meaningful days provide us an important opportunity to take concrete and sustainable steps towards efforts to increase the active participation of our women in all decision-making mechanisms, from politics to the economy, from culture and art to all decision-making mechanisms,” he said.
Tatar added that it was a historical responsibility to remember the undeniable contribution of our women during the years of social struggle, the proclamation of the TRNC, and the process that has led to the present.
“I want to draw attention to my determination to contribute in every way possible within the framework of the authority given to me by the Constitution to prevent all kinds of physical, and psychological violence against women, and efforts to demoralize them, especially by increasing the number of women’s shelters where women who are victims of violence can feel safe, and finding comprehensive solutions to all the problems they face, including violence. I respectfully commemorate our Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who set a great example to the whole world by granting the right to vote and be elected to Turkish women 89 years ago today, and I congratulate all our women on December 5th, International Women’s Rights Day,” Tatar said in his message.