STATUS OF WOMEN IN TURKEY
EXISTING SITUATION AND POLICY PROPOSALS
Prepared by Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGIDER)
To be disseminated at the
31st Meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)
Ankara, Turkey
20-21 December 2012
Outline:
i.
Introduction
ii. Existing Situation of the Status of Women in Turkey
a. Statistical Outline
b. Areas of Progress and Challenges
iii. Policy Proposals
2
i. INTRODUCTION
Turkey has experienced rapid social, economic and political transformation in the recent
years. In terms of sustaining gender equality, several transformative efforts in legal as well as
societal spheres have been going on. It is obvious that, the EU integration process has been
a crucial reference point both for the government and civil society organizations to achieve
gender equality targets especially in the post 2000 period.
In theory gender equality is prioritized both in the EU and in Turkey, but that in practice laws
and policies are not fully implemented. As political commitment to gender issues is limited,
inequality between men and women is still a reality.
In spite of the gender equality reform process in Turkey, traditional patriarchal structures and
male-dominated mentality still put a barrier in front of progressive equality efforts.
This brief report puts together the recent statistics on the status of women in Turkey to
provide a snapshot of the persisting gender inequality. Moreover, welcoming the current
progress efforts, this report compiles demands and policy proposals which can provide
genuine guidance in the gender equality reform process. These demands raised by
KAGIDER underline more or less the common requests voiced by diverse women’s
organizations in Turkey.
3
ii. EXISTING SITUATION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN TURKEY
A. STATISTICAL OUTLINE
Women in Decision Making Positions:

Proportion of women in national parliament: 14,2%

Proportion of female ministers: 4%. The total number of ministers is 26 and just 1 of
them is woman.

Proportion of women political party leaders: 16 %. There are 6 political parties having
seats in the Turkish Grand Assembly currently. Only 1 one of them have a female cochair.

Proportion of women on boards of the largest listed companies: 23 %.

Proportion of women presidents of largest publicly quoted companies: 12 %.

There is no national legislation to promote parity in national parliaments. Only, the
Capital Markets Board issued a statement stipulating that at least one board member
of publicly traded companies should be female. Likewise, legislation to promote
women on boards of private companies does not exist in Turkey.
Women’s Economic Independence:

Difference of employment rate between women and men: Men, 65 %; women 25,6 %.
There is around 38 % difference between the employment rates of the sexes.

Gender pay gap: 25%

Women’s poverty rate among household members: 19%

Informality in employment: 57%

Labor force participation rate: 28,8%

Rate of unionization: The rate of unionization in Turkey is around 9%. Women
workers make up only 10 percent of union members and are not represented on
union boards.
Women’s care responsibilities:

Proportion of infants between 3 and school age in formal child care: 44%

Proportion of elderly persons who receive care in care centers: 0.5 % (only 1 in 191).

Marital status and employment ratios of men and women: The rate of married men
among employed men is 75 %, the same rate is 66 % for women.
4

Length of maternity leave is: 16 weeks.

There is remuneration of maternity leave: 16 weeks is paid leave. If there is twin
pregnancy, two more weeks is added to the paid leave. If one prefers to lengthen the
leave after 4 paid months (16 weeks), 6 more months can be added. However, 6
more months will not be paid. So there is no remuneration for additional 6 months.
Violance against women:

The political commitment to eliminate violence against women is high in Turkey
currently. Ministry of Family and Social Affairs holds a national campaign of zero
tolerance for violence against women. National action plans to combat violence
against women are existing. However, there is room for progress in the monitoring
and impact assessment processed of the national action plans.

Turkey has had; “Combating Domestic Violence Against Women National Action Plan
2007 – 2010” prepared by the Directorate General on the Status of Women and
currently has “National Action Plan for Combating Violence Against Women 20122015”.

Occurrence of violence against women: 39%

Rate of women died as a result of violence: One in five female victims of violence lose
their lives as a result of the violent attack by their partners.

Number of shelters: Shelters directly tied to the Ministry of Family and Social Affairs:
55, number of shelters tied to NGOs and local governments is 31. In total there are
86 shelters around Turkey.

There is no sexuality education in national curricula.

There is access to legal abortion but a high level of conscientious objection and
recent abortion abolition law discussions make it difficult.
B. AREAS OF PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES
Progress:

With regard to international human rights instruments Turkey ratified the Council of
Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and
domestic violence on 14 March 2012. Three additional Protocols to the European
Convention on Human Rights have not yet been ratified. (Protocols 4, 7 and 12.)

The Law on the Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence against Women
adopted in March aims to protect family members and those in relationships outside
marriage from violence. The procedures for urgent cases are generally positive, as
was the inclusive consultation exercise undertaken by the authorities with civil
society. A National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) was
adopted by the Ministry for Family and Social Policies. The plan focuses on five
5
areas: legislation, awareness raising and change of attitudes, empowerment of
women and preventive services, health care and cooperation among stakeholders.

The Ministry of Family and Social Policies and the Gendarmerie signed a protocol
providing for Gendarmerie staff to be trained in the prevention of violence against
woman and gender equality issues with a view to supporting victims of violence. The
Capital Markets Board issued a statement stipulating that at least one board member
of publicly traded companies should be female. The Ministry of Family and Social
Policies signed a protocol with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security aimed at
increasing female employment and labor participation rates, including those of
women subject to violence. The Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities
between Men and Women has issued 20 opinions on draft legislation since being set
up.

Women’s employment rate only slightly increased, from 24 % in 2010 to 25,6 % in
2011.

The preparations of the new constitution were continued throughout 2011, women’s
constitution platform prepared their draft, another women’s organization also
prepared their proposals. This process and the new constitution are regarded as
crucial windows of opportunity for solid legal improvements. The process still
continues.

Constitutional amendment can be a tool but not the main element for gender equality.
The change on Art. 10 is welcomed but actual equality can be implemented by
implementation of parity legislation as a constitutional right. As constitutional rightequality is not implemented- seeing quotas as the sole tool for gender equality may
create confusion – quotas are very important but actual parity should be targeted.

With the 2011 general elections, the rate of female members of parliament increased
from 9.1 % to 14.4 %.

KAGIDER and Ministry of Family and Social Affairs signed the protocol on Equal
Opportunity Model for Public Sector. This model foresees monitoring of gender
equality practices of the public institutions as employers, includes a certification of
equality and provides consultancy on the inequality observed areas.
Challenges:

Certain last-minute amendments to the Law on the Protection of Family and
Prevention of Violence against Women raised concern. Also, substantial efforts are
needed to turn this new law, and earlier legislation, into political, social and economic
reality. A law on caesarean sections was adopted with insufficient preparation and
consultation with civil society, and in particular without hearing the views of women’s
organizations. In the debate that preceded this law and a similar debate on abortion,
government statements neglected the overall need for increased respect for women’s
rights in practical terms.

Women remain underrepresented in the management of trade unions.
6

The government did not respond to demands by the women’s movement to revise the
Law on Political Parties and the Law on Elections so as to make the inclusion of
women legally binding on political parties.

The State Ministry Responsible from Women’s and Family Affairs was abolished and
turned into The Ministry of Family and Social Affairs. The loss of the concept of
women in the name and structure of the ministry was regarded as a backlash.

With the general elections the number of female ministers dropped from 2 to 1. 5 of
42 general managers of institutions, 57 out of 96 general managers in the ministries’,
out of 959 head of units only 139 are women in the bureaucracy a total of % 97 male
dominance is observed.
iii. POLICY PROPOSALS:

Female labor force participation target of 35% by 2023 of the Turkish Government
shall be increased in line with EU and OECD female employment targets.

To boost gender equality in employment, a universal, affordable and accessible child
care system is needed. State funded child care incentives for working families shall
be developed. The number and quality of child care centers should be increased. In
order to develop the child care sector, specific incentive mechanisms for women
entrepreneurs in this sector can be established.

Paternity leave shall be paid and non transferable.

The linkage between education and employment areas shall be strengthened. Special
training and career support systems to first time job seeker women shall be
developed.

Along with vocational trainings, training programs that will increase knowledge and
skills in women’s human rights and gender equality should be included as a
prerequisite in employment training programs implemented by public as well as
private institutions.

Clearly defined and openly communicated gender equality procedures in working
environments are crucial. KAGIDER’s Equal Opportunities Model, previously
developed for Turkish private sector and later adopted to the Turkish public sector
with the example of Ministry of Family and Social Affairs shall be disseminated to
other public bodies and an awareness campaign for equality procedures in working
environment should be carried on.

Women entrepreneur statistics shall be collected and publicly shared with all related
stakeholders.

Midi credit schemes with special incentives for women entrepreneurs shall be
developed by the cooperation of related ministries, funding agencies,
nongovernmental organizations and public monitoring agencies.
7

Gender budgeting should be applied as the main method of annual state budget as
well as the budgets of all public institutions and organizations.

Specific tax and investment incentives for women entrepreneurs should be
developed.

Special mechanisms including quotas to improve the disparity at all levels of
bureaucracy, public ombudsmen mechanisms, political parties and governmental
institutions should be implemented.

Gender quotas in the boards of unions, chambers of commerce, business
confederations and associations in general shall be applied.

“Parity” perspective for the article of equality in the new constitution shall be applied.

The Political Parties and Election Law should be amended to ensure the equal and
democratic participation of men and women in politics, including equal gender
representation and placing women in electable ranks on ballots.

Every ministry should have a gender equality commission and with their own budget.
There should not be any parliamentary commissions without female members. In the
Parliament, particularly in the Bureau, the Administration units, Research,
Investigation, International Commissions and Friendship Groups across should
provide equal representation of women.
8