Women's political participation and representation at local goverments: A study covering Izmir

There is no doubt about politics comes at the begining of the fields that equality of man and woman can not be achieved. Women in the world and in Turkey can not be equally represented in the political decision making.It can be seen that when we look at the national and local paliaments throughout the world, the rates of participation and representation is more important in our country in the terms of size.Especially in our country, the participation and representation of women in local government,this issue is perceived more. By the help of this study, in our country,on the basis of women's inadequency of participation and representation in local politics,the reason why women can not participate enough to local politics is observed and it is intended to point out some suggestions. For this purpose, local women political participation and representation is examined throughout Turkey and İzmir in this study. In this respect firstly,political participation and representation concepts and the factors affecting the political participation was examined.Furthermore, in Turkey women's political participation and representation status was evaluated in the historical process.Secondly in the study,local governments and politics concepts ,Turkey's local government structure and the status of the political participation of women in local government in the world and in Turkey is examined. Thirdly in the study, local women political participation and representation is examined in İzmir. At the final part of the study, legal regulations towards increasing the polticial participation of women to local goverments, quota applications to increase women's political participation and representation, studies and syggetions for solution towards increasing the political participation and representation of women at local level in Turkey have been evaluated. KEYWORDS: Woman, Local Government, Participation, Representation, İzmir.