STRIKING IMPROVEMENTS IN FEMALE EMPLOYMENT

Seyfettin Gürsel, Gökçe Uysal and Ayşenur Acar

Executive Summary

According to quarterly labor market statistics released by TurkStat, urban female employment increased by 56 percent (1.5 million) from 2005 to 2012. In parallel, female labor force also has expanded. From 2005 to 2012, urban labor force participation increased by 0.7 percentage points on average per year and after 2008 the increase accelerated and reached 1.3 percentage points per year. In the last four years, the participation rate has risen from 21 to 26 percent. Due to equivalent and simultaneous rises in female labor force and employment, urban female unemployment rate slightly decreased.

Increases in employment, especially in wage employment, is an important improvement in female employment. The analyses by education and age reveal that especially middle-aged and low-educated (less than high school) housewives have entered the labor market. This is a fresh and striking progress. If these increases in female labor force and employment continue, the gap in female labor force participation between Turkey and developed countries will shrink and Turkey will take a big step on its way to economic development.

doc. ResearchBrief160

pdf. ResearchBrief160