The situation regarding women's unemployment in Turkey is worsening

In October, the narrow unemployment rate in Turkey decreased slightly to 8.5 percent. However, the broad unemployment rate increased by 1.1 percentage points, reaching 29.6 percent. This indicates that one in every three people of working age is either unemployed or underemployed. According to a report by Sözcü, the broad unemployment rate among women rose by 0.5 percentage points to 38.8 percent.

According to the report by the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Research Center (DİSK-AR), the number of unemployed in the broad definition reached 12 million 66 thousand people. The unemployment rate in the youth population also showed an increase; the unemployment rate in the 15-24 age group was recorded at 15.6 percent. In this age group, the unemployment rate was determined to be 12.9 percent for men and 20.6 percent for women.

The number of employed people increased by 185 thousand in October, reaching 32 million 772 thousand. The employment rate was 49.2 percent. However, a gender gap is also notable in these data; while the employment rate for men was 66.5 percent, it was 32.4 percent for women.

DİSK-AR REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

DİSK-AR proposed several regulations that should be implemented in Turkey in accordance with the standards of the International Labour Organization. The report stated that the weekly working hours should be reduced to 37.5 hours without loss of income, and emphasized that the overtime limit should be reduced from 270 hours to 90 hours per year. It was stated that to increase women's employment, sexist practices in labor markets must be ended and domestic care services must be provided by the state.

MINISTER IŞIKHAN HAD SAID 'EMPLOYMENT IS INCREASING'

Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, in his statement regarding the unemployment data, said, "The positive results of our determined fight against unemployment continue. With the effect of our National Employment Strategy, which we prepared in line with the Medium-Term Program, the unemployment rate has been in single digits for 30 months. Employment is increasing, Turkey is getting stronger."

THE PROPORTION OF THOSE ABLE TO RECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

In October 2025, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced the number of narrowly defined unemployed as 3 million 33 thousand people. However, according to the data from the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR), the number of people who were able to receive unemployment benefits that month was 481 thousand 226. Thus, only 15.9 percent of the officially unemployed were able to receive unemployment benefits, and approximately 2.5 million unemployed people were deprived of this benefit.

News Source: 12punto