Impact of non-governmental organizations active in the field of women's rights obtaining women's rights in Turkey

In the world, the development of human rights and democratization efforts of the states have progressed in the same process, the strengthening of 'individual' understanding has been effective in women's rights in this development process. Along with the strengthening of 'individual' understanding, it has come to the agenda that women's rights that they cannot fully use in social, political and economic fields should be exercised. The modernization efforts of the states have been reflected in the lives of societies, and the women who have gained power from this became visible together with the ideology of feminism. The struggle for women's rights began in the 19th century during the period of Ottoman albeit with a delay, while it already began in the 18th century in the west. The struggle for equal rights, which first started in the Tanzimat reform era was initiated by women and the issue of women's rights also was brought to agenda for the first time during the Tanzimat reform era. As a result of ensuring freedom of thought in the second constitutional era, women had found the opportunity to be seen in the social, cultural and economic areas where they were excluded and alienated. In this direction, developments in the name of the women in the Tanzimat reform era and second constitutional era were reflected in the Republic Period in a positive way, women have been on the agenda, to talk about themselves and to gain many achievements in the context of rights. The women's movement began with Tanzimat reform era and continued in the Republican period without slowing down as well as used in terms of women's struggle for equality, freedom and personality rights, has acquired an institutive qualification with women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and NGOs working in this woman field (woman NGOs), have became an important actor in advocating for women's rights. The development of women's rights and the link between women's NGOs with the importance of women in the life and influence of women's NGOs at the national level in Turkey is explained with this study. In this respect, the thesis has been examined in three chapters. In the first chapter, the ideology of feminism is mentioned. It is emphasized that feminism constitutes a kind of infrastructure of women's rights and women's rights organizations all over the world, including Turkey and it has been concluded that this ideology has an important contribution in achieving women's rights. In the second chapter, it is emphasizing the historical development of women's rights in Turkey. The ideology of feminism has contributed to the startup of women's rights in Turkey, but later many women who have different ideas, but not limited to feminists, have made themselves visible by taking part in this struggle. It was concluded that women and organizations are effective in the acquisition and development of rights in the process of Tanzimat reform era to the present. In the third part, the effect of women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working at the national level is mentioned in achieving women's rights. Although there have been many developments in the context of women's rights, the idea of civilian institutionalization, which has been more systematic, free and quick to meet needs, has come to the forefront among the women's problems, especially since the 1990s.In this direction, it is concluded that many women with different ideas such as feminist, socialist, conservative, Kemalist organized around different ideas helped women in many areas with the task of eliminating and improving women's problems as in the past. As a result, it is emphasized that the women's NGOs are truly effective in achieving women's rights in the world and in Turkey. These NGOs which focuses on working on a sensitive topic for society and women and highly important for women should endeavor to emphasize the importance of that exists for women and society by mostly cooperating between institutions, working in coordination, employing more volunteers, mentioning the importance of their work producing projects and organizing educational activities such as seminars, conferences, symposiums. Keywords: Woman, Women's Rights, Women's Non-Governmental Organizations.