ABSTRACT
The reform of family law in Turkey dates back to the late Ottoman modernization, and a major stride was made in the Republican period when the 1926 statutory law recognized women as equal citizens, with divorce and inheritance rights. In terms of laws that regulate the family in Turkey, one often observes dualities and contradictions of positive and customary laws. The Republican history of Turkey attests that the existence of a secular constitution by itself is not a guarantee for realizing gender equality. From the onset of the preparation of the Istanbul Convention, the women's movement was involved with women's organizations participating in the meetings held in Turkey. The 1990s and early 2000s are not only known by the struggle toward the Civil Code and Penal Code amendments, but also by the start of institutionalization in the area of women's rights.
