Limiting factors preventing women's participation in political life in Turkey in the context of gender

Throughout history, women have played significant roles in the struggle for equal rights with men. One of the main reasons for women's involvement in these struggles is societal gender roles. These roles have created challenges for women's representation in political life. Women being relegated to a secondary position in economic, social, political, and societal aspects is a result of the patriarchal social structure that is prevalent worldwide, including in Turkey. The underrepresentation of women in the decision-making mechanisms of politics is a significant problem both globally and in our country. It took many years for women to gain political rights. Historically, the belief that men and women have different roles has contributed to the underrepresentation of women in politics. In the modern world, women have been granted certain legal rights, but their inability to implement these rights in practice has hindered their progress in the political arena. This study aims to identify the restrictive factors that prevent women from being represented in politics. Particularly, it focuses on the negative conditions imposed by a patriarchal societal structure based on gender and the perspective towards women in politics. The factors hindering women's political participation are identified as political parties not showing enough attention, women lacking economic freedom, the absence of a legally mandated gender quota, inadequate levels of education, environmental influences, and the government's indifference to women's issues. Recommendations to address these obstacles are also provided.