TÜSİAD made a statement on March 8 International Women's Day

The statement is as follows:  

“Turkey aims to be one of the largest economies of the world by 2023, and this target is not attainable without women’s participation in every aspect of life. Equal access to the opportunities and active participation of women to the education, economy, politics, and every field of social life is a prerequisite of democracy and social progress. Therefore all the factors impeding gender equality must be perceived and treated as a social problem.
 
Last year a documentary film titled "We Cannot Fly to the Future with One Wing" was prepared by TÜSİAD. Indeed, Turkey can attain its economic, social and democratic targets only if it releases the potential of its women and in so far as women get their fair share of the social welfare.

In our country equality in participating to the education, the working life and politics and human rights of women are all important issues in the path of achieving gender equality in the society.

Access to education is the first determinant of the active participation of women to every aspect of social life, from the working life to the politics. In the last years, especially in the primary education, the gap between the male and female schooling rates is almost closed. However the persistence of the difference between the male and female schooling rates in the secondary and higher education requires constant and intense vigilance.

According to 2011 data, in our country women’s labor force participation rate and employment rate are 29% and 26% respectively. While target women’s labor force participation rate is 35% for the year 2023, the European Union we aim to be a part, sets a women employment target of 75% for the year 2020. Incentive schemes of recent years, supporting women’s employment are steps in the right direction. However, as Turkey is the 4th last in women’s economic participation among 135 countries requires continuing, even accelerating these efforts.  Increasing women’s access to education, and extending support mechanism such as day-care centers and nurseries should be among high priority policy measures. In addition to all-inclusive public policies aiming at achieving gender equality in society, the required social transformation necessitates multiplication of good examples of mindset, approach and practice in the business life.

Violence against women has been one of the most important items on the public agenda in Turkey for a long time. The preparation of a new bill on this subject is a sign of hope about this problem. The effective implementation of the new regulations is crucial for the protection of the victims, prevention of incidence of violence, and achieving the transformation of the mindset of the society.

While March 8 International Women's Day is a good occasion for the public discussion of the women’s problems, the gender equality issue should be kept on the public agenda persistently, and solid efforts should continue. The determination in developing and implementing required policies and action plans in every segment of the society is essential. TÜSİAD’s support for the efforts to achieve this social transformation will continue.”