Nakiye Elgün

Nakiye Elgün (1882, Rumelifeneri, Istanbul – 23 March 1954, Istanbul) was a Turkish politician and teacher.

Life Elgün was born in 1882 in Istanbul. She played an active role in social life as well as in the education sector. She was a clerk in the Association of Teal-i Nisvan, one of the earliest Ottoman women's organizations. During her tenure at İnas School, the Ministry of Education asked her to prepare a project that would lead the system in the renewal of education levels; she later proposed that students should take courses in white-colored classes. When her projects were rejected by the Ministry of Education, she resigned in 1914.

Between 1914 and 1917 she worked at the Pious Ministry (Evkaf Nazırlığı); she was involved in the rehabilitation and organization of the Foundation Schools established in Sultanahmet. In 1916, upon the invitation of the Governor of Syria, Djemal Pasha, she led the establishment of girls' teacher schools together with Halide Edib Adıvar in Syria, where she taught Turkish in Damascus, Jerusalem and Beirut.

During World War I, Elgün volunteered for the Red Crescent On 23 May 1919, she was one of the speakers in a big rally in Sultanahmet Square. These meetings are considered as an era during which she turned into a political figure.

On 24 March 1935, she was elected President of the Society at the Fourth Meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women. On 25 May 1935, she was elected as a member of the Central Executive Board of the Turkish Aeronautical Association and on 13 June 1936 she was elected as a member of the General Staff of the Institution in the General Assembly of the Child Protection Organization. In 1938, she assumed the task of chairman of the Topkapı Fukaraperver Society and continued her role in this position until her death.

She died on 23 March 1954 in Istanbul. An avenue in Osmanbey is named after her.