Women in working poverty: Gaziantep province example

Flexible and precarious labor structure reveals both the new facets of poverty and increases the impacts of today's poverty. Nowadays poverty with its economic, social, cultural, political, and psychological dimensions has influenced all the working and living conditions. Women with disadvantageous positions being included in informal working conditions make working women's poverty more invisible. Working women's poverty is also related to the new facets of today's poverty. Gender inequality, domestic and unpaid labor prevent women from working in secure jobs full time. This thesis focuses on the manners in which working poor women experience poverty. In addition to women's experiences of poverty, their solidarity networks and relations are discussed. Within this context, 30 (thirty) women working in shoe manufacturing factories and workshops in Gaziantep are interviewed. Interviews are conducted via in-depth-interview technique. Data gathered from the interviews are analyzed within the scope of related literature. Working poor women's experiences reveal that working women's poverty does not only arise from economic conditions but also gender inequality. Findings gathered from the study show that the main reasons of working women's poverty are gender inequality, inadequate and low wage, high cost of living and gender discrimination. Key words: Poverty, Feminization of poverty, Working women's poverty, Working poor women