WIN International reports: Women do not feel safe anywhere in the world

A study focusing on global developments regarding gender equality and rights was conducted by WIN International with 33,866 participants across 33 countries. The research, carried out in Turkey between January 20 and 26, 2024, among 523 people using the CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) method, addressed key issues such as gender equality, safety, and violence.

According to the research, which serves as an important resource for understanding the problems women face in society and the changes and developments in gender equality and rights; despite progress in gender equality in the business world, walking alone late at night remains a source of anxiety for women today, and violence against women is becoming a more significant problem with each passing year.

WOMEN FEEL MORE VULNERABLE LATE AT NIGHT

According to the study, 46% of women worldwide do not feel safe walking alone in their neighborhoods at night. 64% of women in the Americas, 47% of women in Africa, and 45% of women in Europe state that they do not feel safe.

According to the research, a significant difference emerges between genders in Turkey regarding "feeling safe" while walking alone in their neighborhoods at night. 61% of women feel safe, a lower rate compared to 76% of men. These results highlight that women generally feel more vulnerable and experience safety concerns when out late at night, and also show that this situation is based on gender-dependent perceptions of safety.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN CONTINUES TO INCREASE

Globally, 20% of female participants answered yes to the question "Have you been subjected to any physical or psychological violence?", a 4% increase compared to 2019. While the participants' responses varied significantly by region, in Africa, where this rate is particularly high, 49% of women said they had been subjected to violence in the past year, while this rate was 27% in the MENA region and 24% in the Americas.

The research reveals that young women are particularly affected by this situation; 27% of women aged 18-24 said they had been subjected to violence, while this rate is 23% for those aged 25-34. 19% of women aged 18-24 and 14% of women aged 25-34 state that they have been victims of sexual harassment.

BARRIERS TO GENDER EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE ARE BEING OVERCOME

Although men are generally more optimistic than women, there is an improvement in the perception of gender equality in many areas compared to 2019. 20% of women and 36% of men from different countries participating in the study believe that gender equality has been achieved in the workplace.

According to the research, the proportion of those who think there are fewer opportunities for women in business life in Turkey is 49% in the total group, while when broken down by gender, this rate reaches 44% for men and 55% for women. Across Turkey, the proportion of those who think there are more opportunities for women in the total group is 28%, and when viewed by gender, this rate is 36% for men, while it drops to 21% for women.

The proportion of those who think that women and men have the same opportunities in Turkey is 19%. These results support the interpretation that the problem of gender inequality in Turkey differs according to gender.

TURKEY NEEDS SERIOUS IMPROVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF POLITICS

It is noted that the proportion of those who believe in gender equality in politics, an area showing slow progress, has risen from 2% in 2019 to 13% today. 43% of those who participated in the research in Turkey believe that gender equality in politics has been definitely or partially achieved, while 51% believe that gender equality in politics has definitely not been achieved or has not been achieved at all.

These results suggest that serious effort is needed to raise awareness about gender equality in politics in Turkey and to implement fairer policies.

GENDER EQUALITY "AT HOME" IS DECLINING

The research shows that while 48% of people believed that gender equality was achieved in the home environment in 2019, now only 40% share the same opinion.

In Turkey, 53% of participants think that success has been achieved in terms of gender equality "at home", either definitely or to some extent. A significant difference in the rate of those who think positively about this issue emerges again between men and women; while the rate of men who think that gender equality at home has been achieved or achieved to some extent is 58%, this rate drops to 48% for women. Furthermore, 41% of participants state that gender equality at home has not been achieved or has not been achieved at all.

News Source: İHA