Youth and woman unemployment in Turkey

Unemployment appeared as an important economic problem after the Great Depression which started in 1929 and has later on remained a severely significant problem that requires being solved both in developed and developing countries all around the world. The extent of the unemployment problem increased more with the conjuncture in 1990s caused by globalisation and with 2008 global economic crisis. Unemployment does not only affect the individuals, rather it is a problem which affects the individual, family, relatives, friends, environment, society, market, motherland and the world, namely all the circles at the same time like a stone thrown into still water. The social and economic cost of unemployment displays these effects. Youth and women who are the weakest segment of the society are most affected by unemployment. Youngsters who have completed their physical and educational development constitute the potential labour force which will determine the future of a country. The density of youth population, the high rates of youth unemployment and its negative effect on the general unemployment rate increase the importance of the subject for Turkey. Therefore, youngsters constitute the basic group to be primarily dealt with in fighting against unemployment. Another weak group who are victimized most by unemployment are women. According to the results of the Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS) 2009 census, the population of Turkey is 73.722.988 people. Men constitute the % 50,2 while women are % 49,8 of the total population of Turkey. % 25,6 of the whole population is between 0-14 ages. Improving women?s employment rates will benefit enormously to increase the level of general economic prosperity of Turkey. Women are confronted with major problems in our country and all over the world as well, both while they are entering the labour market and when they are employed due to reasons such as the roles assigned for women by the society, traditions, gender-based discrimination, low levels of education and etc.In relation to the terms stated in the first chapter of this study, subtitles are given under which types and reasons of unemployment are scrutinized in the first part, following the explanations of the terms employment, unemployment and the rate of participation in labour force and etc. In the second part, economic schools? views on employment and unemployment are mentioned.In the second chapter of the study, the conditions of youngsters and women in Turkish labour market, the rate of unemployment and the rate of participation in labour force according to their age groups, overall unemployment and level of education are assessed comparatively with the conditions of their peers in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.The third chapter presents the reasons of youth and women unemployment and solutions are offered theoretically. After that, assessments are given about the general state of labour force in Turkey in the light of the data gathered from Turkish Statistical Institute, and youth and women unemployment which is the focus of the study, are dealt with in detail. The conditions of youngsters and women in Turkish labour market are analysed according to labour force (unemployment and employment rates, the rate of participation in labour force, non-agricultural unemployment rates and etc.), education, status in employment and economic activity branches. In the light of data gathered, the problems of employment and unemployment of the youngsters and women in Turkey, the tables are interpreted by analysing the factors affecting the rate of participation in labour force.In the last part of the study, the solution proposals which can be effective in fighting against unemployment are discussed.Keywords: Labour Force, Employment, Unemployment, Women, Youth, The Rate of Participation in Labour Force.