EWL press coverage

Despite efforts, Turkey falls in gender gap ranking

Although Turkey has passed much legislation and tried to implement policies to close the gender gap, the recent Global Gender Gap Report 2009 published by the World Economic Forum ranked the nation 129th out of a total of 134 countries in terms of equality between men and women.

Furthermore, Turkey has continued to fall in the rankings: It held 105th place in 2006, was 121st in 2007 and 123rd in 2008. This year, only Saudi Arabia, Benin, Pakistan, Chad and Yemen ranked lower then Turkey.

The report ranked Turkey 110th in women’s educational attainment, 130th in economic participation and opportunity and 107th in political empowerment, out of 134 countries.

Experts note that the reason for Turkey’s gender gap is more due to mentality than a lack of legislation, at least in terms of economic participation and partly for education. However, analysts argue that new legislation is needed for the political empowerment of Turkish women, calling for positive discrimination in every field.

Full employment needed

Selma Acuner, a board member at the European Women’s Lobby and a women’s rights activist, notes with displeasure Turkey’s falling rate of female employment, pointing out that while Turkish women had, according to Acuner, a 24 percent employment rate in 2008, the number slipped to 22 percent this year. She said that this figure is the lowest among European Union and Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

She underlined that the low participation of women in the economy is making them poorer, which in turn prevents them from reaching health and education services.

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Today s Zaman Despite efforts TK falls in gender gap ranking 01 Nov 2009

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