Newly released figures indicate that the female population in Turkey is lacking in social inclusion and literacy rates though they are "hopeful" about their future.
Women in Statistics, a compilation of 2013 and 2014 figures related to women in Turkey, was released yesterday by the state-run Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat). The figures offer an insight into the country's female population and their position in society.
One of the most striking figures belongs to the education department. The number of illiterate females is five times higher than the illiterate male population, according to the 2013 figures, which show that 9.4 percent of the female population is illiterate, compared to 1.9 percent among men. Figures reveal the situation is not so different among women who graduated from school. For instance, the proportion of higher education graduates is 10.7 percent among women, compared to 15.1 among men.
Turkey has long been fighting to boost education levels for women. A 12-year compulsory education introduced in 2012 and regulations bringing heavy fines for parents not allowing their children to attend school are linked to a drop in the number of illiterate girls but Turkstat figures show there are still a considerable number of illiterate women in the country.
The government had launched a project entitled "Women Deserve a Second Chance." The project spearheaded by the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan helped over 12,000 Turkish women who had dropped out of school to complete their education. Turkish women, especially those from poor families, often drop out of schools to earn income for their families. After marriage they are often stuck rearing children, and are mostly unable to pursue education. The project offers free distance learning programs and courses for women to complete their high school education. The government provides financial support for women attending schools and courses including daycare costs of their children and school fees.
Women also suffer from less employment opportunities compared to men. Among the population aged 15 and above, the percentage of women employed is only 27.1 for women, way behind Turkey's neighbor Greece that scored worst among European Union member countries with a 39.9 percent female employment rate. Figures also point to the obvious: women with higher education have more participation in the labor force, at 72.2 percent. Figures reveal that the proportion of women climbing up to the higher ranks in bureaucracy has not undergone any significant change and remains at 9.4 percent.
As for politics, Turkstat's statement on statistics related to women's inclusion in political life say the proportion of female lawmakers was 4.5 in 1935 and has risen to 14.4 percent in 79 years. It also points out that there is only one female minister in the cabinet.
In light of these figures, it is only natural to assume that women are not happy. Indeed, Turkstat notes a drop in the percentage of women declaring their happiness in a 2014 was 60.4 percent, a slight decline compared to 61.9 percent in 2013.
Still, hope endures for Turkey's women. Based on a Life Satisfaction survey conducted last year, women are more hopeful about their future than men, at 74.7 percent.
Another bright spot in figures related to women is rise in the number of those who received prenatal care. In 2013, the proportion of women receiving the care rose to 98 percent, a far cry from 70 percent in 2002.
Women make up slightly less than half of the population in Turkey with over 71 percent of the female population being above the age of 18, according to the statistics. In a country where life expectancy at birth is slightly above 76, women outdo men by over five years, with a life expectancy of 79.4 years. Giresun, a province in the Black Sea region dotted with lush greenery and known for a cuisine full of healthy dishes compared to other regions, is where women have the highest life expectancy at 82.2 years.
Turkstat has called for efforts to upgrade the social and economic position of women through new policies.
