THE ISSUE OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS OF TURKS IN RUSSIA

Abstract

In terms of Turkish history, the position of women has undergone absolute changes within the centuries. When examining the pre-Islamic Turkish societies, it is observed that women had an active part in social life coupled with men, rode a horse with a sword and constantly drilled. After the Islam were accepted in Turkish society, women initially protected most of their rights, but as a result of the misinterpretation of Islam and the influence of the Arabic culture with which they interacted, a decrease in the status of women was observed and therefore they became secondary of in many areas, particularly in social life. When it comes to the rights of women, the studies have been conducted sensitively on this issue among Turks in Russia as well as in the rest of the world. In accordance with a movement named Usul-i Cedit emerging under the guidance of İsmail Gaspıralı, a women's college which was allocated only for girls’ education, have a significant place in terms of the innovative efforts. Even though İsmail Gaspıralı, who was aware of the impact of the press on society, published articles on women's rights in the Tercüman Newspaper published thanks to his long efforts, he did not consider such an action sufficient during this period. Âlem-i Nisvân Magazine, which İsmail Gaspıralı is publisher and his daughter Şefika Gaspıralı is the editor, is the first women’s magazine published among Turks in Russia. After the publication of Âlem-i Nisvân, several magazines such as Işık, Süyüm Bike, Azat Hanım and Şark Kızı were published. Following the Russian Revolution in 1905, the formation of women’s rights was politically possible thanks to the Women Associations opened by the Tsar’s temporary decree of 1906, which accorded the non-Russian minorities the right to establish their own organizations. The Russian Muslims Congresses are also of importance for women to reach their social status. In 1917, in which an active period of struggle began for women, the Russian Muslim-Turkish Women's Congress is also considered as a formation where women made significant decisions about themselves. Afterwards, as a consequence of the efforts of the intellectuals who defend the rights of Muslim-Turkish women, the All-Russian Muslims Congresses, which were organized with the participation of all Turks and Muslims living in Russia, made a significant contribution to the Turkish Women's Movement in order to ensure equality between men and women and enable women to reach the point in the political field despite the opposition views arising from the issues presented. Within this study, the issue of women and women's rights among Turks in Russia will be discussed in the historical process. With the beginning of the first developments as to the Turkish Women's Movement to improve the position of women by Kazan Tatars, a lot of information about the Turkish intellectuals, who did not refrain to support this issue, and their activities are included in the scope of the study. Thanks to their contribution to the women's movement; newspapers and magazines, which are extremely important in terms of the course of the issue, are among the issues emphasized. The formation of women's societies and the various congresses held form the basis of the subjects examined.