Turkish unions: Eliminate the gender employment gap

The BWI-affiliated Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TURK-IS) took part in a forum that brought together the government and employers’ organisations last 14 October and underscored the need to address the widening gap between the employment rates of men and women workers.

Called the Joint Dialogue Forum (OPF), the event discussed the challenging issue of employment amidst a pandemic, women and youth issues in the context of labour, and the future of work. 

The TURK-IS delegation was led by Handan Kalkan, a substitute member of BWI’s European Women’s Committee and representative of the Turkish Union of Road Construction and Building Workers’ Union (YOL-IS). 

Kalkan actively joined the discussions and put forward key ideas on how to improve women employability in different industries and narrow the gender employment gap. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, citing its negotiations with YOL-IS, responded positively to the call to improve women employability and ensure equal access to all workers, regardless of gender. 

The forum ended with a joint statement issued stating that the green transition of jobs and equal job opportunities are some of the focal issues that the country must urgently address.