ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The 52-year-old Ayse Gurcan has become Turkey’s first ever hijab-wearing female minister. She was appointed by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as one of the members of the interim Cabinet announced on Friday, August 30, and will serve as the minister of family and social policy. Gurcan, a mother of three, is a member of the board of the Foundation for Youth and Education (TURGEV). She is seen as the mastermind behind the ‘three child plan’ repeatedly mentioned by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to this plan, each Turkish family needs to have a minimum of three children. The hijab, a veil for women that covers the head and chest, is seen by many Muslims as a religious obligation, but it was banned in Turkish universities and government buildings after a 1980 coup. This ban was lifted after Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) passed constitutional amendments in 2008. The interim government announced on Friday includes members of the AKP, the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and other independent ministers. Its main task is to run government affairs until November 1, the date set for new elections.
Syria23-08-2026Rojava IDPs face pressure to leave schools used as shelters ahead of new academic year
