inclusion of different-marginalized identity perspectives such as gender but also reveal the significance of varying degrees of multilateralism to structure the governmental relations which place the local governance in a strategic interaction. This strategic interaction points to the increasing role of localities and the local leaderships in the path of democratic governance.
The aim of this presentation is thus to assess local governance in Turkey from a gender inequality perspective through focusing on the activities and services concerning violence against women of 36 municipalities which have been governed by female mayors elected in 2004 and 2009 local elections in Turkey. In analyzing such activities and services of these municipalities, the goal is to reveal the potential impacts of female mayors at local level and accordingly the significance of local governance in terms of combating violence against women, a serious problem which is the end result and one of the most important matters of gender inequality in Turkey. It is argued that in the specific case of municipalities, local governance is the key level to be taken into consideration for eradicating gender inequality in the content of democratization in Turkey.
