Number of Unemployed Women Has Increased by 52 Percent in 5 Years

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The Research Department of Public Services Employees Union of Turkey (Genel-İş) has released its fifth Annual Report on Women's Labor.

Affiliated with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), the union has been regularly publishing this report to make the problems experienced by women in work life visible.

Released on the occasion of March 8 Women's Day, the report has been prepared based on the data of Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), EUROSTAT and Turkey's Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services.

Accordingly, the report shows that while 72.7 percent of men can participate in work life, this rate is only 34.2 percent for women. When these rates are compared with the European Union (EU) and OECD countries, it is seen that the rates of men and women are both over 52 percent.

When Italy, Greece, South Africa and Spain, which are similar to Turkey both demographically and socio-economically, are considered, the data show that 41.1 percent of women in Italy, 44.3 percent in Greece, 48.4 percent in South Africa and 53 percent in Spain participate in work life.

Only 3 out of every 10 women employed

The report also puts forward that only 3 out of every 10 women in workforce in Turkey are employed. While women's rate of participation in employment in the country is 29.4 percent, that of men is 65.7 percent.

When compared with the EU and OECD countries, the data have shown that 48.7 percent of women in EU countries and 50 percent of women in OECD countries participate in employment. This rate is 60.6 percent and 65 percent for men in the EU and OECD countries respectively.

According to the report, 500 thousand women had to leave their jobs for domestic care services and 12 million women could not start working due to housework in 2019. Official figures have shown that the number of women resigning from their jobs "to care for children and adults in need of nursing in family" has been increasing year by year.

While 465 thousand women left their jobs to provide domestic care services in 2014, this figure increased by 29 thousand and reached 494 thousand people in 2019. The number of men who quitted their jobs for the same reason is only 3 percent of the number of women.

Almost 2 million women currently unemployed

The number of unemployed women increased by 52 percent from 2014 to 2019. Almost 2 million women are currently unemployed in Turkey.

When the rates of women's unemployment are compared by countries, it is seen that women's unemployment is on the increase in countries in economic crisis. While 24.2 percent of women are unemployed in Greece, 11.8 percent of women in Italy and 29 percent in South Africa.

While women's unemployment rate is 7.1 percent on average in the EU, it is 5.4 percent in the OECD countries. Considering that women's unemployment rate is 14 percent in Turkey, it means that this rate is three times higher than the OECD average and two times higher than the EU average.

The number of unemployed women in Turkey was 1 million 151 thousand (26.6 percent) in November 2014. This figure increased by 604 thousand women (by 52 percent) and reached 1 million 755 in 2019. Women's unemployment saw further increase in periods of crisis. While the rate of women's unemployment was 13.4 percent (1 million 383 women) in 2017, it increased to 16.6 percent (1 million 755 thousand women) in 2019.

Young women are affected by unemployment the most. As a result of economic crisis, the employment of women in 15-24 age group fell by 130 thousand and women's unemployment increased by 98 thousand.

While the rate of participation in employment is 21.4 percent for the women in 15-24 age group, this figure is 43.9 percent for young men. In other words, while only 2 out of very 10 young women can work, 4 out of every 10 young men can work. As for unemployment, 3 out of every 10 young women are unemployed and their unemployment rates increased year by year.

Accordingly, while the unemployment rate of young women is 30.9 percent, this rate is 21 percent for young men. Over 1 million women are employed overtime and informally.

Both the number of women employed for over 45 hours a week and the number of them employed informally have been increasing. While 2 million 932 thousand women were employed for over 45 hours a week in 2019, 34.4 percent (1 million 9 thousand) of these women were employed informally.

Men earn 8 percent more than women

In 2018, the wage gap between men and women was 8 percent. In other words, women earned 8 percent less than men.

The figures have shown that the highest wage gap (30 percent) was between the graduates of vocational high schools.

Solution offers

Raising concerns over the current financial crisis in Turkey and the prevalence of conservative policies coupled with a patriarchal mindset, the report has also listed a series of solution offers for the unemployment, precarious working conditions and informal employment of women.

Stressing the importance of gender equality in organizing work life and working conditions, the union has called on the authorities to develop and implement policies that will provide women with secure and permanent employment, to develop control mechanisms to prevent informal and overtime work and to eliminate gender-based wage gaps.

Referring to domestic work and child-elderly care as "the most important obstacle to women's participation in work life", the union has also emphasized the importance of an education based on gender equality and made a call for equal opportunities for women and men in education.

Requesting measures against harassment and violence against women at work, the union has also demanded that March 8 be recognized as an official holiday with pay. (EMK/SD)