FIRST FEMALE AMBASSADOR IN TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY: FİLİZ DİNÇMEN

Abstract

Atatürk emphasized the equal advancement of women and men in all fields in the newly founded Republic of Turkey, stating that “if knowledge and science are necessary for our society, both men and women must acquire them equally.” Following his vision, Turkish women have made significant progress in science, knowledge, and various professional domains. Within this framework, Filiz Dinçmen became the first female ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in 1982, forty-four years after Atatürk’s death. Born in Zonguldak in 1939, Dinçmen graduated from Ankara Girls’ High School and began her higher education at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Ankara University, in 1956. Between 1961 and 1965, she served as the third and second clerk in the United Nations Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In August 1965, she was appointed as the second and later first secretary at the Turkish Mission to the United Nations in New York. From 1968 to 1970, she worked at the Turkish Embassy in Tehran. After gaining substantial experience in foreign policy, Dinçmen’s appointment as Turkey’s first female ambassador embodied Atatürk’s ideals. This study aims to highlight Filiz Dinçmen as a role model for Turkish women, emphasizing her representation of Turkey through her diplomatic achievements and identity.