I congratulate with my warmest wishes all women in our country and all over the world on the occasion of March 8 International Women’s Day.
Turkey, celebrates this meaningful day as a significant occasion to emphasize women’s human rights; their roles within social life; and gender equality, in tandem with other world nations every year.

This year, on the occasion of International Women’s Days, there is a particular focus on problems of women in rural areas, within the theme defined by the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
Women’s problems in rural areas, constituting a considerable part of the world population, such as gender pay gap, access to decent work, infrastructure and services and inadequacy of social protection are essentially common problems faced by all humanity.


A society, in which women and girls are deprived from educational and health services; are not provided with a life free from violence and maltreatment; are not rewarded for their efforts; whose skills and contributions to production are disregarded, lose the chance to have a place among developed nations.

Turkey sets herself the goal to develop women’s life standards and rights; to enhance their participation in politics, decision-making mechanisms and employment; to empower their social status; and to eliminate completely all kind of violence against women and girls.



In this context, comprehensive work has been conducted in Turkey, in all fields such as education, health, professional life and political representation in recent years.