By: Melis Figanmese
Appalling is the only word. What else can you say about a country, whose economy is reporting record-breaking highs, has been ranked last in the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index report in its region. Not only is Turkey ranked last in Europe and Central Asia, in terms of Gender Equality, it is ranked 124th out of 135 countries worldwide. WEF’s report claims Turkey is the lowest performing country from the region on the economic participation and opportunity sub index.
Let’s look at where Turkey is falling short. I’ve pulled some of the statistics that are most alarming to me:
– Only twenty-six percent of women participate in labor force.
– Women earn only three tenths of what men earn.
– Of ALL the legislators, senior officials and managers in Turkey, only ten percent are women.
– Parliament is made up of eighty-six percent men and only fourteen percent women.
– Women hold only four percent of ministerial positions in Turkey, where men hold ninety-six percent.
There are four sub indexes that the World Economic Forum uses to rank countries:
Economic Participation and Opportunity
Educational Attainment
Health and Survival
Political Empowerment
Turkey ranks below equality in EACH sub index, aside from healthy life expectancy (in health and survival).
The good news, TPF already has the momentum going to better these numbers. We support women’s education, skills-training, mother’s health and much more. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk stated that “A society is comprised of two genders: male and female. Is it possible to lift a huge block up if you concentrate on one side of it and leave the other side completely unattended? Is it possible that a part of a society reach the skies while the other part is tied to the ground with chains?” TPF is working towards an equal Turkey. We work with trusted non-profits on the ground, who understand what is needed to make a change in women’s rights.
Visit our website to support Gender Equality in Turkey, today.
Read the full Gender Gap report of the World Economic Forum here.
