Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) secretary on women's issues Gülçün İşbert, criticizes Minister of State Mehmet Şimşek for trying to blame the rise in unemployment on women. According to latest official statistics, unemployment rate rose to 13 percent.
In a recent statement, Şimşek had claimed that this rise was due to more women searching for jobs during times of economic crisis.
"There is nothing more natural than women otherwise inactive to begin looking for work" said İşbert. The problem is, there are no jobs available for them.
She emphasized that the rate of women's participation in the work force decreased to 22 percent and the main reason behind this is the lack of suitable jobs for women in cities who are forced to migrate from rural areas.
"In urban areas, women's unemployment rate is higher than men. Two out of three who are in the age of work but out of the work force are housewives. Some of those women are ready to take up work, given the burden of care for elderly and children is taken off of them."
Furthermore, İşbert notes that around 40 percent of working women are unpaid family workers; not getting anything for their labor. "Most striking statistic is that 68 percent of working women are not registered. As a result, they don't get social rights, job security and social security as provided by law."
"The minister supposes that if women ceased looking for work, the unemployment rate would drop" says İşbert and questions his logic. "Is it normal to sit at home instead of searching for work? The government should end hiding behind such excuses, providing precautions only aimed at protecting the corporations and start devising realistic strategies to combat unemployment and the social problems caused by it."(EZÖ/AGÜ)
