Turkey has one of the highest unemployment rates for women, finds union report

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Ahead of March 8 International Women's Day, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) Public Services Employees Union (Genel-İş) has released its annual Women's Labor Report. Prepared by the union's research department, the report sheds light on the work life of women in Turkey amid their struggle against inequality.

The report has found that "women's participation in employment in Turkey is much lower than the European Union (EU) and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries."

According to the report, "while women's employment has been increasing in several other countries over the years as a result of the policies aiming to increase women's participation in employment, Turkey is one of the countries with the highest gender gap in this regard."

When the rates of gender-based unemployment are considered, the report has concluded that women's unemployment rate is higher than several countries: "When the narrowly-defined women's unemployment rate is concerned, it is seen that the unemployment rates for women have increased further and the gender gap in unemployment has increased against women."

Referring to the official labor force statistics shared by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) for the fourth quarter of 2021, the union's report has recalled that the rate of unemployment for young women in the 15-24 age group was 27.2 percent (493 thousand people).

"In fact, the broad unemployment rate for young women is 42.7 percent with 943 thousand people and twice the narrowly-defined unemployment rate," the union has noted and shared the following findings:

Gender gap in unemployment

"While the average gender gap in employment is 14.5 percent among the OECD countries and 10 percent among the EU countries, this rate is 39.1 percent in Turkey. Turkey is one of the countries which have the highest unemployment rates for women.

"The number of unemployed women is increasing by day. In 2020, the broad unemployment rate for women was 36.6 percent.

"The unemployment rate for young women is twice the official data.

"13.3 million women are unable to participate in work life because they offer free care labor.

"3 out of every 10 women are in unregistered employment. Over 1.2 million women are employed both part-time and unregistered.

"Men earn 27.4 percent more than women.

"Only one out of every 10 women workers is a member of a union. While women's unionization rate is 10 percent, that of men is 15.7 percent.

"The business line where the highest rate of women are unionized is healthcare and social services.

"The rate of unionized women in general affairs is 34.5 percent.

"The rate of unionized women in the public service is 56.6 percent."

(AÖ/SD)