Türkan Saylan
Work on Leprosy
Saylan was one of the first women to work as a dermatologist in Turkey. In the 1970s, she founded the Turkish Leprosy Relief Association to fight against the disease; later, she worked as a consultant to the World Health Organization on leprosy and a founding member of the International Leprosy Union.
Champion of Women and Children’s Rights
Her experience in impoverished rural areas of Turkey inspired her to establish an organisation, the Association to Support Contemporary Life, in 1989 dedicated to helping girls acces education. A particular obstacle she sought to overcome were local customs which force many girls to marry and have children when they are still young, some as young as 12. The association has given grants and scholarships to at least 58,000 students since its establishment.
Politics
She became a target of the current government due to her secularist views and criticisms of the sexual inequalities that she felt were propogated by the government. One month before her death, a police raid on her home led to the confiscation of her private and professional documents. Dr. Saylan appeared on television despite her illness and stated that: “We want democracy and contemporary values to rule. Therefore, we are ready to fight for this cause as long as it takes.”
Famous Quote
As part of a book she had been working on before she died, Dr. Saylan wrote a letter to the girls of Turkey, which was read at her funeral. “You, my dear daughter,” it said in part, “stop asking yourself, ‘Why am I born a girl?’ and aim at becoming the best you can be.”
References
- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/world/europe/22saylan-1.html?scp=6&sq=women&st=cse