Women in Türkiye still far behind men in employment, official data shows

Women in Türkiye are achieving higher levels of education than in previous decades.

Yet their participation in the workforce remains far below that of men, according to new figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK).

The agency’s report, Women in Statistics 2025, published ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, presents a detailed picture of women’s social, economic, and demographic conditions in the country.

The data shows that women account for 49.98% of Türkiye’s population, with 43.03 million women and 43.06 million men recorded in the country.

Despite improvements in education and increasing representation in some professional fields, the report indicates that significant gender gaps remain in employment and other areas of public life.

Women’s education rises, but employment gap remains wide in Türkiye, accessed on March 6, 2026. (Adobe Stock Photo)

Employment gap persists in Türkiye

Education levels among women in Türkiye have increased sharply in recent years.

According to national education statistics, the share of people aged 25 and older who have completed at least one level of education rose from 75.1% in 2008 to 92.6% in 2024. Among women, the figure increased from 67.5% to 88.3% during the same period, while the rate for men reached 97%.

The share of women with higher education degrees also grew. In 2008, 7.1% of women aged 25 and older held a university degree, compared with 23.6% in 2024.

However, this expansion in education has not translated into equal participation in the labor market.

TUIK data shows that the overall employment rate for people aged 15 and over stood at 49.5% in 2024. The figure for women was 32.5%, while 66.9% of men were employed.

Labor force participation also reflects a similar gap. In 2024, 36.8% of women participated in the labor force, compared with 72% of men.

Education appears to play an important role in employment outcomes. The labor force participation rate among women rises sharply with education level.

Key figures include:

• 14.6% participation among women who cannot read or write
• 27.5% among women with less than a high school education
• 38.5% among high school graduates
• 43.8% among vocational high school graduates
• 68.7% among women with higher education degrees

Regional disparities also remain visible. The highest overall employment rate appeared in the Antalya, Isparta, Burdur region at 54.7%, while the lowest rates were recorded in Mardin, Batman, Sirnak, Siirt, and in Van, Mus, Bitlis, Hakkari at 39.5%.

Women also work part-time more frequently than men. In 2024, 18.3% of employed women worked part-time, compared with 9% of men.

A file photo shows female university students attending a lecture in Türkiye. (AA Photo)

Women’s representation slowly increases

The report shows gradual increases in women’s representation across academia, politics, and senior management positions.

In higher education, 34.9% of professors were women in the 2024 to 2025 academic year, up from 27.6% in 2010 to 2011. The share of female associate professors rose from 32.2% to 43.3% during the same period.

Women’s representation in leadership roles has also grown, though it remains limited.

• The share of women in upper and middle management positions increased from 14.4% in 2012 to 21.5% in 2024, while men still hold 78.5% of these roles.
• Women accounted for 18.3% of board members in companies listed in the BIST 50 index in 2025 (up from 12.2% in 2016), while men represented 81.7% of board members.
• In the Turkish parliament, 118 of 592 lawmakers are women, representing 19.9% of members
• The share of women ambassadors rose from 11.9% in 2011 to 28.4% in 2025

In research and development, women represented 34.2% of total R&D personnel in 2024, with the highest share in higher education institutions at 47.9%.

Violence against women in numbers, Türkiye, accessed on 28 November 2025 (Adobe Stock Photo)

Most common forms of violence in Türkiye

The report also includes findings from the national survey on violence against women.

According to the data, the most frequently reported form of violence experienced by women during their lifetime is psychological violence, affecting 28.2% of respondents.

Other forms of violence reported include:

• 18.3% economic violence
• 12.8% physical violence
• 10.9% stalking
• 8.3% digital violence
• 5.4% sexual violence

In many cases, violence occurs within intimate relationships. The survey shows that 39.5% of women who experienced violence reported it came from a spouse, former spouse, or partner.

The report also notes differences depending on education level. Economic violence decreases as education rises, while reports of stalking and digital harassment increase among women with higher education levels.

The bride and groom hold a bouquet of pink and white flowers with green leaves during their wedding ceremony, accessed on Sept. 16, 2025. (Adobe Stock Photo)

Marriage and demographic trends

Marriage statistics show that women in Türkiye marry earlier than men on average.

In 2025, the average age at first marriage was 26 for women and 28.5 for men.

Regional differences also appear in marriage patterns. The highest average age at first marriage was recorded in Tunceli, with 29.6 for women and 32.4 for men. The lowest averages were reported in Kilis for women at 23.7 and Sanliurfa for men at 26.4.

In divorce cases finalized in 2025, child custody was awarded to mothers in 74.6% of cases, compared with 25.4% awarded to fathers.

The report also shows that women generally live longer than men in Türkiye. Life expectancy at birth stands at 80.7 years for women and 75.5 years for men, creating a 5.2-year gap.

March 07, 2026 02:57 PM GMT+03:00