Women in Türkiye face major employment, safety and income gaps, report finds

As International Women’s Day approaches, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has released its 2024 “Statistics on Women” report, highlighting significant gender gaps across various sectors, including employment, education, and safety.

The data also paints a concerning a picture of the challenges faced by women in Türkiye, particularly in terms of employment opportunities and personal safety.

Gender disparity in employment and income

One of the most striking findings from the report is the vast difference in employment rates between men and women. According to the Household Labor Force Survey, the employment rate for people aged 15 and older in 2023 was 48.3%. However, for women, this figure dropped to just 31.3%, while for men, it stood at 65.7%.

Regional disparities also reveal significant gaps, with the Antalya, Isparta, and Burdur regions having the highest female employment rate at 38.9%, while the Mardin, Batman, Sirnak, Siirt regions had the lowest at just 19.8%.

Moreover, the gender pay gap remains a persistent issue, with the difference in average wages favoring men. In 2023, the average gross annual earnings for men were higher than those for women by up to 20%, particularly for high school graduates. This gap widens for those with higher education, where the difference reaches 17.4%.

Women face greater economic vulnerability

The report also reveals that women are disproportionately affected by poverty. In 2024, 31.5% of women were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 27.1% of men.

Among individuals aged 18-64, the poverty risk for women was 29.5%, significantly higher than the 23.1% for men. This stark contrast highlights the ongoing economic vulnerabilities faced by women in Türkiye.

Life expectancy: Women live longer, but face more health challenges

On a positive note, the data shows that women in Türkiye have a higher life expectancy than men. As of 2021-2023, the expected lifespan for women was 80 years, compared to 74.7 years for men, marking a 5.3-year difference.

However, when it comes to healthy life expectancy—defined as the number of years a person can live without limitations from health issues—women fare worse. The average healthy life expectancy for women is 56.3 years, compared to 59 years for men, revealing a gender gap of nearly three years in healthy living.

Education: Slow progress toward equality

The report also highlights improvements in education levels over time. The average educational attainment for the population aged 25 and older has risen significantly.

In 2023, women aged 25 and over had an average education duration of 8.6 years, compared to 10.1 years for men. While progress has been made, women still lag behind men in terms of educational attainment.

Safety concerns: Women feel less secure

Perhaps one of the most concerning findings relates to the safety of women in their daily lives. The Life Satisfaction Survey reveals that 35.9% of women feel unsafe walking alone at night, a stark contrast to 15.2% of men.

Similarly, 8.4% of women report feeling unsafe when home alone, compared to just 3.1% of men. These figures highlight the ongoing safety concerns for women in Türkiye.