Bahire Bediz Aydilek Morova was one of the women who participated in political life during the early period of the Republic of Türkiye. Born in Bosnia, she began her public service as a teacher and continued it with a seat in parliament. Her speech attracted the attention of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and her commitment to women’s rights enabled her to assume an active role in politics, becoming one of Türkiye’s first female members of parliament.

Bahire Hanım, born in 1897 in Bosnia, was the daughter of Hasbi (or Bedi) Bey and Esma Hanım. After her family migrated to Bolu, she completed her primary and secondary education there. She worked for four years as a drawing teacher at the Bolu Girls’ Industrial School. Due to an eye health issue, she was compelled to leave the teaching profession in 1927. Subsequently, she worked within the organization of the Republican People’s Party and at the Bolu People’s House. In 1930, she was elected to the Bolu Municipal Council.

During Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s visit to Bolu on 17 July 1934, Bahire Hanım’s speech at a meeting held at the People’s House captured Atatürk’s attention, and he bestowed upon her the name “Bediz.” During this visit, Atatürk offered her a candidacy for parliament.

Following the granting of the right to vote and to stand for election to women on 5 December 1934, Bahire Bediz Morova became a candidate for the Republican People’s Party in the Konya constituency in the 1935 general elections. She was elected and entered the 5th Term of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. As one of Türkiye’s first 18 female members of parliament, Morova worked on the Committee on Customs and Monopolies and prepared a report on the province of Konya, proposing solutions to local issues. She was one of the nine female members of parliament who represented Türkiye at the 12th Congress of the International Alliance of Women held in Istanbul in 1935. She was not renominated in the 1939 elections.

Bahire Bediz Hanım was married to pharmacist Faik Morova and had two children, Hulusi Morova and Makbule Yuğurgen. She died in Istanbul on 10 November 1965, on the anniversary of Atatürk’s death.