Fatma Salman Kotan
Encyclopedia
Fatma Salman Kotan is Turkish
Member of Parliament for Ağrı
of the leading Justice and Development Party.
Born in Doğubeyazıt
, Ağrı
in 1970, Fatma Kotan is an accountant. She graduated in economics from Ataturk University in Erzurum
.
Speaking at the Turkish Women Entrepreneurs Association in August 2007 she gave her life story as follows:
My mother was my father's second wife. In our part of the world if a man is rich he will marry more than once. My mother died because of my father's pressure in her to have a son. I was the second child. The doctors told my mother it would be dangerous to have a third but my mother told us she had to make my father Sheikh Ahmet Salman happy, to continue his line by having a son. The doctors said it would be fatal to get pregnant but she didn't listen. Only a boy would make Sheikh Ahmet Salman happy. So my mother got pregnant for a third time and bore another girl. Two years later my mother died.
Ever since my childhood I have had it in my mind that not only a man can carry on the family of Sheikh Ahmet Salman, but a woman can too. That's why I was the first girl in my family to go to school. I went into politics and business. I knew that if I could make it i would be an inspiration to other women. By opening a brick factory in the area i showed that a woman could work in the dust and the mud. Now the number of women working in the area is increasing. (but) if we don't break down the patriarchy a little more Turkey will still be the same in 2007 as it was in 1970.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Member of Parliament for Ağrı
Agri
Agri may refer to:* As shorthand or prefix referring to agriculture* Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development * Azerbaijan–Georgia–Romania Interconnector * Ağrı, a city in eastern Turkey* the Agri in southern Italy...
of the leading Justice and Development Party.
Born in Doğubeyazıt
Dogubeyazit
Doğubeyazıt is a city and district of Ağrı Province of Turkey, and is Turkey's most eastern district, the border crossing to Iran. Elevation 1625 m. Area 2.383 km². Population 115.354 of which 69.447 live in the town of Doğubeyazıt, the remainder in the surrounding countryside...
, Ağrı
Agri
Agri may refer to:* As shorthand or prefix referring to agriculture* Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development * Azerbaijan–Georgia–Romania Interconnector * Ağrı, a city in eastern Turkey* the Agri in southern Italy...
in 1970, Fatma Kotan is an accountant. She graduated in economics from Ataturk University in Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
.
Speaking at the Turkish Women Entrepreneurs Association in August 2007 she gave her life story as follows:
My mother was my father's second wife. In our part of the world if a man is rich he will marry more than once. My mother died because of my father's pressure in her to have a son. I was the second child. The doctors told my mother it would be dangerous to have a third but my mother told us she had to make my father Sheikh Ahmet Salman happy, to continue his line by having a son. The doctors said it would be fatal to get pregnant but she didn't listen. Only a boy would make Sheikh Ahmet Salman happy. So my mother got pregnant for a third time and bore another girl. Two years later my mother died.
Ever since my childhood I have had it in my mind that not only a man can carry on the family of Sheikh Ahmet Salman, but a woman can too. That's why I was the first girl in my family to go to school. I went into politics and business. I knew that if I could make it i would be an inspiration to other women. By opening a brick factory in the area i showed that a woman could work in the dust and the mud. Now the number of women working in the area is increasing. (but) if we don't break down the patriarchy a little more Turkey will still be the same in 2007 as it was in 1970.