List of female ministers of Turkey

While the first two female ministers in the cabinet were elected from outside the parliament, all the remaining female ministers, except Aysel Çelikel, Beril Dedeoğlu, Ayşen Gürcan, Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Ruhsar Pekcan, Derya Yanık and Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, were elected from within the parliament.

The first female ministers of the Presidential Government System [tr], which started to be implemented as of July 9, 2018, were Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk and Ruhsar Pekcan.

I will put forth all my efforts not to embarrass those who deem me worthy of this position, and to show that a woman can serve as a minister.

[3][4] Thereupon, Erim appointed Türkan Akyol[5] as the minister of health and social assistance, upon the request of Sadi Koçaş, to the new government he established on March 26, 1971, in which he said "My cabinet will be a think tank"[6] and "I will work with young minds".

[17] After Neftçi's ministry, there was the longest period in which female ministers did not take office since the proclamation of the republic.

[citation needed] A female minister found a place in the government again when Turgut Özal appointed İmren Aykut,[18] who joined the party upon his invitation,[19] as the Minister of Labor and Social Security in the 46th Government he established on December 21, 1987.

[citation needed] On April 20, 1990, the Presidency of Women's Status and Problems [tr] was established within the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

[39] İleri resigned from her post on February 22, 1992, following a vote of no confidence in her for covering her personal expenses from the budget allocated to the ministry.

[40][41][42] After the resignation of İleri, the first female minister, Türkan Akyol, was appointed to the vacant Ministry of State for Women and Family.

[52][53] This established government ended after 25 days as it could not receive sufficient votes of confidence.

[58] Saygın, the first female minister of environment, continued her duty until the end of the government.

[62] Along with the duo, a new name, Ayfer Yılmaz, was appointed as the Ministry of State responsible for the EU.

[66] Later, on March 26, three female ministers of the government attended the afternoon tea held at the American embassy as part of Hillary Clinton's visit to Ankara.

[72] While Yılmaz was appointed as the Minister of State Responsible for Foreign Trade and assigned to the Capital Markets Board,[73][74] the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade and the Undersecretariat of Customs,[75] Saygın was appointed as the Minister of State Responsible for Women and Family[76] and was appointed to the Atatürk High Institution of Culture, Language and History, General Directorate of Women's Status and Problems, Family Research.

First, on July 10, 2002, Melda Bayer was appointed as the Minister Responsible for Women and Family, which became vacant as a result of the resignation of Hasan Gemici.

[90][91][92] Two days later, another woman, Tayyibe Gülek, was appointed to the position of Minister Responsible for Cyprus and Citizens Living Abroad, which was vacated by Şükrü Sina Gürel.

[93][94][95] As the last woman in this government, Aysel Çelikel was independently appointed as Minister of Justice on 5 August 2002, a first in the position.

[96][97] Additionally, she was appointed to the ministry at the age of 68, making her the oldest female minister.

Nearly half of the female ministers who served in the history of the Republic were appointed during this period.

[102][103] Since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was banned from politics, the task of establishing the 58th Government of Turkey was given to Abdullah Gül.

[111] Akşit, who ended his duty as a result of the merger of culture and tourism ministries with a decision published on 29 April 2003, continued to serve as the Minister of State in charge of women and family.

[122] Selma Aliye Kavaf was appointed as the Minister of State Responsible for Women and Family, which was vacated by her.

[129][131] One of the two female ministers of the new government established on July 6, 2011, was Fatma Şahin, who was appointed to this ministry.

[132][133][134][135] Later, when Şahin ran for mayor of Gaziantep, he resigned from this position[136][137] and was replaced by Ayşenur İslam.

The first of these was Ayşen Gürcan, who took part in the cabinet as the Minister of Family and Social Services.

[144][145][146] She was followed by Beril Dedeoğlu, who was appointed to the Ministry of European Union Affairs, which became vacant as a result of the resignation of Ali Haydar Konca.

[150] As a result of the repeated elections in November 2015, the task of forming the government was given to Ahmet Davutoğlu for the last time.

On April 21, 2021, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services was divided into two again by presidential decree.

[175] While Derya Yanık was appointed to the Ministry of Family and Social Services, which was formed as a result of the division, the duties of Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk and Ruhsar Pekcan ended.

With the establishment of the new government, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş was appointed as the Ministry of Family and Social Services.