While the institutionalization process of equality between men and women began in 1970s in many countries of Europe, in our country, the process of institutionalization in the organization of the state started with “Advisory Board on Policies Regarding Women” established within the body of General Directorate on Social Planning under the State Planning Organization in 1987.

Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Sixth Five-Year Development Plan and Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies necessitated a coordinator or performer institution on women. To strengthen the status of women in social, economic, cultural and political life, General Directorate on the Status of Women was established with Statutory Decree No. 422 that was published in Official Journal of 20 April 1990 as named “Presidency of Women’s Status and Problems” and affiliated to the Prime Ministry.

General Directorate on the Status and Problems of Women that was established with Law dated 25 October 1990 and numbered 3670 and affiliated to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security was affiliated to the Prime Ministry in 24 June 1991 and its responsibility was given to a State Ministry concerning women issues.

To strengthen the structure of General Directorate on the Status and Problems of Women, it was restructured as one of the main service units of Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of Women and Social Services that was established with a Statutory Decree No. 514 and dated 13 October 1993.
 
However, Statutory Decree numbered 514 and the Empowering Act that was the basis for making this Decree were rescinded by Constitutional Court in 6 October 1993.

After this rescinding, Undersecretariat of Women and Social Services was reestablished in 2 June 1994 with Statutory Decree numbered 536, but this Decree and its Empowering Act were rescinded by the Constitutional Court, too.

The Organization Law of the General Directorate was sent to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 5 July 1999 by the Prime Ministry. In 1999 and 2000, the Law was discussed in the Commissions of Health, Family, Labor and Social Affairs and Planning and Budget of the Assembly and it was accepted and forwarded to the General Board. The draft law became caducous after the general elections of 3 November 2002.

General Directorate on the Status and Problems of Women was affiliated to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security with Permit of Presidency that was published in the Official Journal of 27 November 2002 and numbered 29949.

The Directorate General was reaffiliated to the Prime Ministry with the approval of the Presidency that was published in the Official Journal of 29 March 2003 and numbered 25063.

The Organization Law of the Directorate General No. 5251 came into force with being published in the Official Journal dated 6 November 2004.