Impacts of the Activities
on Women During The Last Ten Years
in Turkey
Prof.Dr.Ayşe Akın
Başkent University Research and Implementation Center on
Woman-Child Health and
Family Planning
Presentation plan:
Activities on women during last ten years in Turkey
and current situation:
Education
Labor force participation
Employement and unemployement
Health
Violence against women
Participation in decision making mechanisms
Conclusion
EDUCATION

Currently 35% of the population is under the
age of 20 in Turkey, so Turkey has a young
population and most of them attend schools

Literacy rate in Turkey used to be 20% in
1930s which increased steadily, however the
gap between male and female remained.
Indicators show that school attendance
increased in both sexes by years, however
female education could not reached at a
desired level, they always remained behind .

Education continued…



According to the UN Report of “2007-2008,
for the “human development index"; Turkey
is ranked as 84 th among 177 countries.
Therefore Turkey is considered as “mid level
developed country”.
In Turkey there are 14.817.654 students in
formal education (2007/08), 47 % of them are
female students.
Primary school attendance is the highest and
higher education attendance is the lowest in
females in Turkey
Literacy rates in Turkey by years and sexes (1935-2000)
100
80
60
40
20
0
1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 2000
MALE
FEMALE
Kaynak: DİE Genel Nüfus Sayım Sonuçları, TÜİK, Türkiye İstatistik Yıllığı, 2006.
Iliteracy in Turkey



There are more than 7 million illiterate
people in Turkey where most of them are
women
Illiteracy is increased in the both sexes
from younger age to older ,from urban to
rural and from western part to the east.
According to the last census (2000) 19.4
% of the population is illiterate and 75.5%
of them are female.
Iliteracy in Turkey…….





Literacy rate
has been increased
continuously by years. Adult literacy rate was
85.3% in 1997 which increased to 88.1% in
2006.
For women: 76.9% increased to 80.4%.
For men: It increased to 96% in 2006.
Last 10 years literacy and education levels of
the female population has been increased
significantly in Turkey, but still 100% literacy
target has not been reached yet.
Currently 1 out of 6 women is illiterate and 1
out of 6 women has not graduated from any
type of schools.
Adult Literacy rates by years and sexes (1997-2006)
Kaynak: TÜİK Nüfus ve Kalkınma Göstergeleri verileri.
Preschool Education


There are 2.5 million children between the
age of 4 – 6 years. 25 % of them are
attending to the preschool education,
47.8% of them are girls.
Although the ratio of the preschool
education attendance doubled during last
years still it is far behind the level of the
EU countries where this attendance is
80%.
Primary Education





Since 1997 primary education has been
increased to 8 years and it is compulsory
and free of charge at the government
schools
Primary education attendance has been
increased significantly since 1997
Net school enrolment rate was 84.7 % in
1997 which was increased to 97,37 % in
2007
For female: It is increased from 78,97% to
96,14%
For male: It is increased from 90,25 to 98,53
Secondary Education





Secondary education is 4 years in Turkey
and it is not compulsory
In 2007/08 school years there are 3.245.322
students at the secondary education where
44.8 % are female.
For female: net enrolment ratio was 34.16 %
in 1997 which is increased to 55.81 % in
2007
For male: net enrolment ratio was 41.39 % in
1997 which is increased to 61.17 % in 2007
That ratio is over 90 % in EU Countries.
Higher Education




For female who completed primary and
secondary education entering the higher
education is more easy
Currently there are 6.5 million people at
university age group , 2.45 million of them
are attending the university education,
which is below EU average.
Demand for higher education is
significantly increased during last years
Net University enrolment ratio is increased
from 10.25 % to 20.14% between 1997 to
2007 in general
Higher Education

For female: Net enrolment ratio of higher
education was 9.17% in 1997 which was
increased by 103% and reached to
18.66%.

Selection of the subjects in higher
education is very much influenced by
gender factors

Labor force participation is increased by
level of education in women
Mass Education

In addition of the activities of the
MoE on mass education many civil
societies and NGOs voluntarily
organize courses for women and
municipalities are also run mass
education programs for women free
of charge
Mass education continue….
Increased importance is given to the female
education in Turkey however there are so many
barriers which prevent to use equal opportunities
like many other developing countries
Summary of those factors :
 Gender role which is exist in traditional societies.




Traditional patriarchal type of families , tend to
keep the girls at home not sending to schools for
education.
Early age of marriage
If one of the children is given opportunity for
education male child is given priority by the
families
Policies followed and programs carried out :


Turkey signed all the decisions made at the IV th
World Conference on Women in Beijing without any
reservation. One of the 12 critical areas of concern
is “education and training of women”
In 1996 “National Action Plan” was prepared, which
includes the following actions:



To ensure that Women should get equal share as men in
formal and in non-formal education (ensure equal access
to education)
Elimination all terminologies of sexism or discriminatory
items in education materials
To increase the female literacy ratio to 100%
Some examples of the actions which ensure to provide equal
opportunities for education for male and female in Turkey:





In the 8th and 9th Development plans which cover the
years 2001–2013, education was emphasized.
Regional boarding schools (YİBO),
Provision of transportation for the Primary
education program
Project on the decreasing the social risk (SRAP) –
donation to support for the education of the
children
Campaigns and programs carried out like; A
hundred percent support for education “Girls let’s
go to school- Haydi Kızlar Okula”, “Daddy send me
to school- Baba Beni Okula Gönder” and “support for
the basic education- Mother and daughter at schoolana kız okuldayız, literacy campaigns“
Examples continued…….




During the campaigns it was realized that there were 273.447 girls
who never attended to schools, with the programs at the provinces
81% of them started to go to school.
“Kardelens – contemporary girls of contemporary Turkey Kardelenler-Çağdaş Türkiye’nin Çağdaş Kızları” This very
important project is carried out by an NGO and in this project 12.300
girls received scholarship, 7380 students graduated from secondary
education,950 students started university education, 67 students
finished University education. As this project was considered very
successful it is extended till year 2015.
“Mother-Father and Child education project-Anne-Baba-Çocuk
Eğitimi Projesi”.
Project on “Strengthening vocational education and training
system” . In this project effective intersectoral collaboration is
being done.
PARTICIPATION IN LABOR FORCE AND EMPLOYEMENT




In all ages labor force participation is lower in
women compare with men. Infact this
participation even decreasing further by years.
Education is the most significant influential
factor in female labor force participation
Labor force participation is increased as the
education level of women is increase.
There is a hidden female unemployment in
Turkey. Patriarchal attitude prevent women
from working life in rural and urban parts.
PARTICIPATION İN LABOR FORCE AND EMPLOYEMENT….


Marriage for women often create barrier in their
participation in labor force. However that is
balanced with education. If a woman is not married
her participation in labor force is higher compare
with married woman.
Female participation in labor force is affected with
their domestic responsibilities. Caring children and
elderly at home and home based / home axial
activities are the major cause of female
unemployment. As the duration of the compulsory
primary education became longer we are expecting
that would also increase female participation in
labor force
Labor participation and employement
80
yüzde
60
40
20
0
işgücüne katılma
oranı (%)
işsizlik oranı (%)
istihdam edilme oranı
(%)
Erkek
71,5
9,9
73,98
Kadın
24,9
10,3
26,02
Kaynak: TÜİK, Türkiye İstatistik Yıllığı, 2006.
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Women are far behind the employment of men ,
especially due to her domestic

Unemployment rates in women which were
already low in 1990 and 2000, after economic
crisis in 2001 increased to 10 % in general, and
17.9 in women and 11.3 in men.
Unemployed Ratio and unemploye - outside of agriculture (%)
(15+age)
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
unemployement
6,5
8,4
10,3
10,5
10,3
10,3
9,9
Unemployement
ratiooutside of
agriculture
9,3
12,4
14,5
13,8
14,3
13,6
12,6
- Male
8,4
11,3
13,3
12,6
13,1
12,4
11,3
- Female
13,5
17,7
19,8
18,9
19,6
18,8
17,9
Kaynak: TÜİK, Hanehalkı İşgücü Anketi Sonuçları.
Kaynak: TÜİK Türkiye İstatistik Yıllığı, 2006.

Employment in informal sector is over 50 % in
Turkey , however this is more common in
agriculture and family work without payments in
mainly rural parts of the country.

Among the people with social security
registration the share of male is 82,8 % where
female share is only 17,2 % for the year 2006.
Policies followed and activities carried out :
In The Beijing Platform for Action ;One of the
12 critical areas of concern is “women and the
economy”
 Turkey emphasized the issue in her 8th and
9th development plan where the young people
and women is given priority as target
population.
Projects:
 Many projects have been and still being carried
out to increase the female participation in labor
force in Turkey by collaborated efforts of the
national sectors and international organizations.

Policies followed and activities carried out continued…

The project on “Improvement of female participation in labor force”
have been carried out by the GD of Status of Woman between the
years 1994–2000.

Main objectives of the project to find out the possible
underlying factors of the reasons of the poor female
unemployment and based on the findings to develop,
formulate the best policies and solutions in the country
to increase the women’s participations in every area of
work as well as to offer women various working
opportunities
Many of the policies which encourage women’s
employment were generated from this project and being
implemented now.

HEALTH
 Since
1963 DHS type of surveys has
been carried out in Turkey with 5 years
intervals therefore we know the health
statistics related to RH/Women's and
Child health and FP quite accurately.
 We can also assess the progresses and
the shortcomings in health care of
Turkey
HEALTH continued…….
Progresses in Women and Child Health
and FP in Turkey:
Maternal
mortalities have been
markedly decreased in Turkey by
years
MMR was 208 in 100 thousand LBs
in 1974 which was decreased to 28.5
in 2005 according to the Nationwide
MM Survey.
Maternal mortality ratios by years in Turkey
(in 100 thousands live births)
250,0
200,0
208,0
150,0
100,0
132,0
100,0
50,0
49,2
70,0
28,5
2000
2006
0,0
1974
1981
1990
1998




Antenatal care increased significantly by years and
according to the latest DHS-2003 it 81% of all
pregnants are receiving ANC which was 63 % in
1993.
Proportion of safe deliveries was 76% in 1993 which
is increased to 83 % in 2003
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has been decreased by
years very markedly in Turkey. It used to be 4.3 in
1978 then was 3.0 in 1988 then in 1998 was 2.6 , in
the last DHS it was found as 2.2 per woman.
This steady decrease indicate the correct family
planning policy and the management of the programs
implemented for a long time in Turkey
Pregnants receiving antenatal care is
increasing by years in Turkey
90
80
70
60
81,4
63
50
40
67,5
43
30
20
10
0
1988
1993
1998
2003
Deliveries assisted by health personel is
increasing by years in Turkey
100
80
76
60
76
80,6
83,3
40
20
0
1988
1993
1998
2003
YILLARA GÖRE TOPLAM
Total Fertility Rates in Turkey by Years (1978-2003)
DOĞURGANLIK HIZI
4,5
4,3
4,1
4
3,4
3,5
2,7
3
2,6
2,2
2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
1978
1983
1988
1993
1998
2003
FP
methods known by almost all
married couples in Turkey.
Contraceptive choices have been
increased in the country by adding
implants, injectables etc in the national
programs where IUDs,The pills and
condom and surgical sterilizations are
provided.
Counseling is given more importance in
the FP services
Family Planning Practices in Turkey by Years
1978-2003
80
71
70
61,4
60
50
62,6
63,9
50
42,5
40
30
63,4
32,3
32
37,7
34,5
34,2
31
27,2
28,1
28,5
25,5
20
18
10
0
1978
1983
1988
1993
Kaynak: TNSA, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003.
1998
2003

Before 1983 induced abortion was permitted only on
medical grounds, during that period self-induced abortions
caused significant number of maternal deaths in Turkey

In 1983 induced abortion up to 10 weeks was legalized on
request in Turkey
After its legalization there has been almost no deaths due
to induced abortion in Turkey. Beside after 1990’s rate of
induced abortions is decreasing very markedly


Still there is a considerable unmet needs in abortion
services in Turkey, in order to meet that demand “medical
abortion method” has been tried to be introduced in
Turkey
Induced Abortions in Turkey by years
1983 - 2003
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1983 DHS
1988 DHS
100 gebelik
1993 DHS
100 kadın
1998 DHS
2003 DHS
100 canlı doğum
Infant Mortality Rates in Turkey by Years
İn 1000 thousand live births
Marked
decrease occured in IMR in Turkey and
from 208 in thousand to 29
thousand
250
Under
200
208
5 mortality decreased from 61 in thousand
to 37.
168
150
163
134
100
50
96
65,2 59,3
52,6 42,2 40
38,3 36,8 35,2 33 29
0
1963 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1990 1993 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003

A National Strategic Plan on RH has been
prepare in Turkey which covers the period of
2000-2015.

According to the priorities of this strategic plan
various programs and projects are being carried
out in the country.
Since 2003 several EU supported projects have
been carried out which aimed to improve the
level of MCH in Turkey. Like “safe motherhood,
emergency obstetric care,STIs,FP,In service
trainings etc.”






Despite to the decrease in maternal mortalities,
according to the NMM Survey 3 out of 5 maternal deaths
were found to be preventable .
This finding indicates the inadequacy in health care and
at the same time it indicates that if correct intervention
programs are implemented those deaths could be
prevented easily.
There are marked differences in utilization of RH care
services in Turkey according to the regions and
characteristics of the settlements being rural or urban
The major influential factor which cause those
differences is the education level of the women another
word is the status of women.
According to the further analysis of the nationwide
studies; If the women are illiterate they have double
numbers of children as they desire. If the women literate
they have as many children as they want.
Illeterate women have more number of children than what
they wanted to have
Desired number
of children
2.8
2.5
2.6
3.7
3.2
5.0
Number of children
4.9
they have
4.9
5.0
5.9
Literate women are having the same number of children
what they want
Desired number
of children
2.4
2.2
2.2
2.8
2.5
2.8
Number of children
they have
2.5
2.6
2.6
3.0

Similar trend is observed in FP practices

Another striking example in 3 consecutive DHS it was
found that ; 99% of women is having safe deliveries if
they have secondary education.

On the contrary women with no education only 1 out of
2 is having safe delivery. That means education level is
a significant determining factor in utilization of the
health care services in Turkey.

Based on the current realities in Turkey , In order to
improve women’s health; in addition to empowerment
of women and improving their status PHC approach
should be adopted in the country and fundamental
health care programs like safe motherhood should be
provided
Utilization of obstetrics services by women
according to their education (DHS – 1998-2003)
89,8
100
96
76,2
54,8
50
37,6
0
no
education
primary
secondary
99,7
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

During last 10 years so many plans and programs have
been made to prevent VAW in Turkey , most of them are
revolutionary.
In this context;



Law on the protection of the family was accepted in
1998-# 4320 which introduced a very effective security
system to protect individuals victimized by domestic
violence .
Turkish criminal code # 5237 (TCK)
Established a research commission at the parliament in
2005 to investigate and specify the actions to prevent
the custom and honor killings and underlying causes
of violence against women and children
After
the Report of the Parlimentary Research Comission,
“prevention of the violence against women” became formal
government policy in Turkey. Prime minister issued a statement on
the subject on 4 th July 2006 which instructed the sectors about
their responsibilities on VAW.
Some of the examples of the activities which are carried out by the GD of SW

A follow up committee was established to monitor the VAW
activities,

A protocol was signed with the security forces to train the
policemen for their role in preventing VAW and the related
procedures
A protocol was signed with the Ministry of Health to train the
health care providers for their role in preventing VAW and the
related procedures




Combating Domestic Violence Against Women -National Action
Plan -2007-2010
Project on Combating Domestic Violence Against Women
National Survey on VAW (2007)
The activities are carried out by other sectors;

Project to establish Shelters in 8 province for the
women who are the victim of the domestic violence.
(Currently there are 47shelters in Turkey)

Violence call line (Alo 183 Danışma Hattı) (SHÇEK ) In
2007 132.617 people benefited from the line.

Legal advise is provided by the body of lawyers free
of charge

As seen from the above stated activities “Combating
VAW” is the combined efforts of the governments
with the other sectors which is led by the GD of SW
and one of the major objectives of the activities to
increase the public awareness level about VAW.
WOMEN IN POWER AND DECISION MAKING



The main constitution of Turkey gives equal
opportunities to every one for all human
rights irrespective to race, sex etc….
Turkey gave the legal rights to women to be
elected and vote even before many countries
in the world.
However despite to that fact women have not
been adequately / equally represented at the
decision levels due to various reasons
Members of the Parliment by Years in Turkey (1935-2007)
Election year
Total number
Female
#
#
%
1935
395
18
4.6
1943
435
16
3.7
1946
455
9
2.0
1950
487
3
0.6
1977
450
4
0.9
1983
450
12
3.0
1987
450
6
1.3
2002
550
24
4.4
2007
550
50
9.1
Kaynak: http://www.tuik.gov.tr/VeriBilgi.do?tb_id=42&ust_id=12;
2007 seçim sonuçları için www.tbmm.gov.tr; KSGM, Türkiye’de Kadın 2001.




At the general election of 2002 there were
only 24 female parliamentarians out of 550
which makes only 4.4% of the total.
That was even worse for the cabinet, as
there was only ONE minister in the cabinet
At the general election of 2007 # of female
parliamentarians increased to 50 which
makes 9,1 %
There is again only ONE minister in the
cabinet.
 Representation
of women at the
local authorities is also important as
as an initial step for entering the
decision making mechanism.
However representation of women
at that level is also very limited
 Only 18 out of 3225 ( 0.6%) mayors
are women
Women in Local Authorities, 1994, 2004, Turkey
Total
Female
Female%in
total
Mayor
3215
18
0.56
Members of the municipality
board
34084
541
1.59
Members
of
general
provincial comission
3122
44
1.41
Mayor
3225
18
0.56
Members of the municipality
board
34477
834
2.42
Members
of
general
provincial comission
3208
58
1.81
1999 election
2004 election
Kaynak: İç İşleri Bakanlığı Mahalli İdareler Genel Müdürlüğü; KSGM, Türkiye’de Kadının Durumu.
 At
the Universities in Turkey:
 Proportion of the female
academicians are 39%,
 27% of all professors are women
 36% of all the engineers are
female
 29 % of all physicians are female
and 33 % of the lawyers are female
Representation of women at the
high level of bureaucracy is also
not high .
 There are only 21 female civilian
authority - No governor
 Number of the deputy of the
governors is 5 out of 408 total, 16
out of 857 district governors are
women , 6 out of 165 district
governor candidates are female

Managers/administrators at the high level burochracy levels (Turkey, 2001)
Unvan
female
%
male
%
undersecretary
0
0
19
100
Deputy of
undersecretary
3
4.3
66
95.7
Director
14
17.5
66
82.5
Deputy director
14
26.9
38
73.1
General director
12
6.0
188
94.0
Deputy general
director
58
10.6
488
89.4
Kaynak: KSGM, Türkiye’de Kadın 2001.
Human Development Index and some gender indicators in some cuntries. (2007, 2008)
Gender
Development
Index – GDI
(Rank of the
Countries),
2007/2008
Gender
Empowerment
Measure – GEM**
(Rank of the
Countries),
2007/2008
Proportion of female
parlimentarians (%),
2007/2008
Countries
Years that women
was given rights to
vote and be elected
Seçme
Seçilme
Female
active
participatio
n in
economic
activities
(%), 2005
Norway
3
1
37.9
1913
1907,
1913
63.3
Island
1
5
31.7
1915,
1920
1915,
1920
70.5
Sweden
5
2
47.3
1919,
1921
1919,
1921
58.7
Brazil
60
70
9.3
1932
1932
56.7
Turkey
79
90
9.1
1930,
1934
1930,
1934
27.7
Canada
4
10
24.3
1917,
1960
1920,
1960
60.5
Ethopia
149
72
21.4
1955
1955
70.8
Tanzania
138
44
30.4
1959
1959
85.8
Kaynak: Human Development Report, 2007/2008
CONCLUSSION



Gender equality legally is ensured and strengthened by the 10th item of
the main constitution as well as other legislations in Turkey . However
unless all those legal requirements are implemented in the real life the
targeted gender equality cannot be reached.
Despite to considerable progresses and improvements in women’s
issues, according to the results of the implementations there are still
some distances to be covered in women issues in Turkey
Last ten years significant number of programs and projects related to
women issues have been initiated and implemented in Turkey ,although
some of their impacts can be seen through the indicators , however to
see the real impacts of all those activities some period of time is
needed.



Despite all the efforts to increase the coverage of
education, still there are some gender inequalities in
education therefore Turkey considers to give more
importance to the improvements of status of women
and their living standards , facilitate their adaptation
to societal changes and also support their rights to
access information and services.
Universal education will be ensured to every
individuals with more emphasis on women .
Participations of women in labor force is one of the
prerequisites of the development, therefore Turkey
committed to continue her efforts to remove psycho
social barriers in front of women to increase their active
participations in labor force and live productive lives. In
this context the legislations will be examined by a
gender sensitive approach.

Although women were given rights
to vote and elected in 1930s in the
coming years they were not able to
take place and be represented at the
decision making levels sufficiently
and more actively therefore in the
future we will concentrate on
intervention programs for removing
obstacles in their participations in
decision making mechanisms which
will be mainly “empowerment of
women”
Turkey will continue to carry out
research on women issues to find out
the real and current problematic
areas in gender inequalities and
develop intervention programs
 In the field of “Health”; Continuous
evaluation will be carried out to see
the impact of gender discriminations
on women’s health and develop
necessary intervention programs



One of the major strategies followed by
Turkey is to ensure the “Gender
Mainstreaming” in the country (GEM)
Programs will be continued for;
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“empowerment of women” in every spheres of life.
Protection of women’s rights
Elimination of all forms of discriminations against
women
Advocacy activities to increase the public awareness
on gender discrimination and its adverse outcomes
İntersectoral collaboration on women’s issues
The role of the GD SW will continue as a
national mechanism to advocate and
coordinate all national efforts on women
issues.