Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines Turkey's engagement with global women's human rights norms. Turkey subscribes to the principles of universal rights, equality and individual freedoms within which women's human rights are included. The book addresses the emergence of a global gender equality regime. It analyses the Turkish historical, political and social contexts up until the 1990s to see how gender identities have been shaped in interaction with Western values and norms. The book explains the limits and possibilities of international women's human rights norms as mechanisms for fundamental improvements on women's lives. It also examines the extent of state accountability for gender equality, and the state and women's groups engagement with each other against the background of a global gender equality regime, and donor support to advance women's rights.