Sectoral distribution of women's labor in Türkiye

The sectoral distribution of women's labor in Türkiye has undergone significant changes under the influence of social and economic transformations throughout history. This study aims to analyze the patterns of women's labor force participation and their position in the labor market within the context of these transformations. The research was conducted using a literature review method, and national and international studies and academic publications on the sectoral distribution of women's labor were evaluated within the context of historical periods. Feminist economic approaches were utilized as the theoretical framework, and the socio-economic, socio-cultural, and political factors determining women's labor were holistically addressed. The findings reveal that women's labor in Türkiye is concentrated in the agricultural sector and increased, particularly in the service sector, after 1980. Despite the increase in paid employment in the 2000s, women's visibility in the labor market remained low, and informality, wage inequality, and the gender-based division of labor continued to shape the nature of women's labor. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that the sectoral distribution of women's labor in Türkiye has diversified with economic transformations, but gender-based inequalities continue to determine women's position in the labor market.