UN Women Türkiye Brought Together Women Leaders in Politics

UN Women Türkiye, in collaboration with the Committee on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), organized the “Women Leaders” meeting in Istanbul on July 5-6, 2024. This two-day event provided participants with the opportunity to learn about inclusive practices and experiences from other countries’ parliaments, assess women’s participation in general and local elections, and explore the latest developments within the international legal framework.

The meeting commenced with an opening speech by the Chair of the Committee on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men of the TGNA, Çiğdem Erdoğan Atabek. In her remarks, she emphasized: “As KEFEK, we will continue to work hard to ensure that women lead dignified lives, take on more active roles in every field, and benefit equitably from rights, opportunities, and resources. With the increasing presence of women in all areas, we will make every effort to build a stronger country and a more prosperous world.”

Zeina Hilal, IPU Gender Partnerships Programme Manager, underscored the critical role of international cooperation in advancing gender-responsive parliaments during her opening speech. She stated, “As we celebrate the 135th anniversary of the IPU, let us remember the vision of peace and cooperation that began in 1889. Together, we can advance women’s leadership and achieve true equality.”

Asya Varbanova, UN Women Türkiye Country Director, reiterated her commitment to supporting initiatives that empower women leaders, highlighting the importance of structures such as women’s caucuses that bring together all women parliamentarians to foster solidarity and ensure equality as a shared goal.

Following the opening remarks, Zeina Hilal led a session on the “Concept of a Gender-Sensitive Parliament,” during which she provided participants with an overview of the key principles and practices that define gender-sensitive parliaments. Attendees exchanged ideas on how to integrate these principles into their respective national contexts.

The second session, titled “Advancing Gender-Sensitive Parliaments: Gender-Sensitive Reforms and Building Women’s Leadership in Parliament,” was moderated by Rachel Weston, UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, Regional Policy Specialist - Political Participation and Governance. This session featured insights from several international speakers. Lucija Tacer, Member of Parliament from Slovenia, shared efforts to advance equal caregiving responsibilities within parliament through online participation. Cynthia López Castro, President of the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians and Senator for Mexico City, discussed parity in political participation, including quota systems and temporary special measures. Leah Sankaire, Member of the National Assembly of Kenya, highlighted the collaborative efforts of women within the parliamentary women’s caucus. Suwannee Sirivejchapun, Member of the Senate of Thailand, contributed her perspectives on women’s leadership.

Assoc. Prof. Ahu Sumbas, a UN Women Consultant, provided a detailed analysis of the 2023 general elections and the 2024 local elections in Türkiye. Her analysis examined the confirmed candidate and parliamentary lists, comparing their political affiliations, demographic characteristics, political experience, and connections with women’s organizations or movements. This data was meticulously analyzed using statistical software, shedding light on the gender-based inequalities and challenges faced by women in political participation within Türkiye.

On the second day, the meeting focused on the international legal framework. Nicole Ameline, a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), former French Minister, and former Member of Parliament, provided valuable insights into CEDAW and Draft General Recommendation No. 40. This session emphasized the importance of aligning national policies with international standards to promote gender equality.

The final session was led by Zeliha Ünaldı, Deputy Country Director of UN Women Türkiye, who provided updates on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the forthcoming Beijing+30 process. She highlighted ongoing global efforts to achieve the goals outlined in these frameworks.

This meeting, organized within the scope of the “Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Leadership in Political and Business Life Project” funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), aimed to foster the sharing of experiences and strategies among participants and to create a roadmap for strategic actions to increase women’s political participation. The event contributed significantly to strengthening efforts in this field.