▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁they ▁gained ▁full ▁universal ▁suff rage , ▁earlier ▁than ▁most ▁other ▁countries . ▁The ▁re forms ▁in ▁the ▁Turkish ▁civil ▁code , ▁including ▁those ▁affect ing ▁women ' s ▁suff rage , ▁were ▁" break through s ▁not ▁only ▁within ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁world ▁but ▁also ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁world ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁elections ▁E igh teen ▁female ▁MP s ▁joined ▁the ▁parliament , ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁women ▁in ▁a ▁significant ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁European ▁countries ▁had ▁no ▁voting ▁rights . ▁ ▁Equ ality ▁of ▁the ▁sex es ▁▁ ▁Begin ning ▁with ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁the ▁Turkish ▁Civil ▁Code ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁a ▁modified ▁Swiss ▁Pen al ▁Code , ▁women ▁gained ▁extensive ▁civil ▁rights . ▁This ▁continued ▁with ▁women ▁gain ing ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁vote ▁and ▁stand ▁for ▁elections ▁at ▁the ▁municipal ▁and ▁federal ▁levels ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁respectively . ▁Vari ous ▁other ▁legal ▁initi atives ▁were ▁also ▁put ▁into ▁effect ▁in ▁the ▁years ▁following ▁to ▁encou rage ▁equality . ▁ ▁The ▁Turkish ▁Civil ▁Code ▁also ▁allowed ▁equal ▁rights ▁to ▁divor ce ▁to ▁both ▁men ▁and ▁women , ▁and ▁gave ▁equal ▁child ▁cust ody ▁rights ▁to ▁both ▁parents . ▁ ▁Pol yg amy ▁was ▁permitted ▁in ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁under ▁special ▁circumstances , ▁with ▁certain ▁terms ▁and ▁conditions . ▁The ▁reasons ▁behind ▁the ▁san ctions ▁of ▁pol yg amy ▁were ▁historical