13 out of every 20 people said there should be more women in business life

Results of a public opinion survey conducted by NG Research between 7-14 August 2024 among 1,510 people aged 15 and over across Turkey on "Gender Equality and Societal Violence" are drawing attention.

Gender Equality and Societal Violence

Women – men equality, women's role in society, family dynamics and violence within society continue to remain pressing agenda items to this day. To understand the current situation in Turkey regarding these issues, NG Research conducted a public opinion survey about women, men and society.

The survey was conducted between 7 – 14 August 2024 across Turkey among 1,510 people aged 15 and over from different socio-economic groups on a digital research platform. The results of the survey, which sheds light on various important issues related to Turkey's social life, are drawing attention:

Changing 'roles' and the evolution of the social fabric

The survey shows that "housework," traditionally viewed as women's responsibility, has shifted in accordance with changing perceptions of responsibility as women increasingly participate in working life. While 66% of participants believe responsibility for housework should be shared, 31% of people hold the view that it is the woman's responsibility. The proportion of those stating that men are responsible is quite low.

In traditional Turkish family structure, the "father" figure was known as the income earner and the "mother" as the one managing household chores, while changing social norms are leading to a redefinition of these roles. According to the study conducted by NG Research, 53% of participants believe that earning money is a shared responsibility of spouses. 46% argue that this responsibility belongs to men. The proportion of those in favor of women alone earning money is quite low.

Changes in responsibility regarding housework and earning money are also reflected in childcare responsibility. 17 out of every 20 participants surveyed believe that childcare and responsibility should be shared between spouses. 15% of participants argue that this responsibility should be solely with mothers. The proportion of those stating that childcare is men's responsibility is low.

'Gender Equality' in our country

Although Turkey is among the first countries in the world to grant women the right to vote, societal perceptions on gender equality are still not at the desired level. 8 out of every 10 survey participants believe there is no gender equality in Turkey: 85% of women support this view, while 77% of men also state that they are not equal.

'Women' in working life

Increased educational opportunities for women and changes in social structure have positively affected the proportion of women in working life. While 13 out of every 20 survey participants believe more women should be in the workforce, 2 out of every 20 argue that women's participation in working life should decrease. Although increased workforce participation is supported among women, there are men who believe fewer women should work.

While challenges exist in working life for everyone, the problems women face are different. 40% of participants view the greatest challenge for women in working life as bearing responsibility for both the pace of work and household chores. 18% cite women being subjected to "physical" harassment in the workplace as the 'second' most important problem, while 10% rank experiencing more psychological violence than men in the third place on the list. Both men and women agree on these rankings.

Child care responsibility ranks first among the reasons women withdraw from working life. While 31% of participants say women leave the workforce to care for children, 23% emphasize societal pressure, and 19% point to other household responsibilities as reasons women withdraw from working life.