Türkiye

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Türkiye has implemented a robust framework of legal, policy, and international commitments to address the persistent pay gap between men and women. These efforts reflect the country’s dedication to promoting and ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in the workforce. By combining legal safeguards, international standards, and targeted national policies, Türkiye is working to create a more inclusive and equitable labour market.

Legal Framework

The foundation of Türkiye’s commitment to gender equality is enshrined in its legal system. Article 10 of the Turkish Constitution guarantees equality before the law, while Article 5 of the Turkish Labour Law No. 4857 explicitly prohibits wage discrimination based on sex, ensuring equal pay for equal work or work of equal value. Additionally, the Law No. 6701 on Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye reinforces these protections by prohibiting discrimination at all stages of employment. These legal provisions create a strong basis for addressing gender-based pay disparities.

International Standards

Türkiye has long been a proactive participant in international efforts to promote gender equality. The country has been a party to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) since 1985 and the ILO Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) since 1967. Under Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution, which grants international treaties the force of law, these conventions have become integral to Türkiye’s national legislation. This alignment with global standards underscores Türkiye’s commitment to upholding gender equality in the workplace.

National Policies

Building on its legal and international commitments, Türkiye has developed a comprehensive set of national policies aimed at reducing the pay gap and enhancing women’s participation in the workforce. These policies are designed to address structural barriers, promote equal opportunities, and empower women economically. Key initiatives include:

Twelfth Development Plan (2024-2028): This plan outlines 18 specific policies to enhance women’s participation in the workforce and ensure the principle of equal pay. It focuses on increasing women’s employment in STEM fields, promoting entrepreneurship, and providing affordable care services to support working women.

National Employment Strategies: The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is preparing a new employment strategy to promote inclusive employment, with a particular focus on combating workplace discrimination and enhancing job opportunities for women. The previous National Employment Strategy (2014-2023) emphasized increasing the employment of women and other vulnerable groups by addressing unregistered employment, preventing workplace discrimination, and conducting awareness-raising activities in collaboration with relevant institutions.

Women's Empowerment Strategy Document and Action Plan (2024–2028): This document includes strategies to facilitate women’s entry into the labour market, equip them with new skills aligned with digital and green transformations, and support women’s entrepreneurship. A key activity under the action plan is the development of tools to measure and prevent the gender pay gap, led by the Turkish Statistical Office.

Gender-Sensitive Budgeting: Türkiye is among the 23 OECD countries implementing gender-sensitive budgeting practices, integrating equality between women and men into planning and budgeting processes.

These efforts reflect Türkiye’s commitment to reducing the pay gap between women and men and promoting equality in the workforce. 

Türkiye has long been a strong advocate of equal rights and opportunities for women and men. As one of the most important facilitators to this end, enabling laws and practices in the world of work has led to meaningful transformation with a strong spill-over effect. The principle of equal pay for equal value of work has also been a cornerstone of Türkiye’s national strategies and action plans, reflecting its commitment to fostering a fair and inclusive labour market.

Türkiye’s decision to join the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) is driven by its desire to share the best national practices, learn from others’ insightful experiences and benefit from the expertise of EPIC and other relevant international organizations. By collaborating with EPIC, Türkiye aims to further strengthen its efforts to close the pay gap between women and men and promote equal opportunities in the workforce.

As a G20 member country and the only EPIC member in its immediate region, Türkiye is uniquely positioned to contribute to and benefit from this global initiative. Türkiye is optimistic about the positive outcomes of its close cooperation with EPIC on both national and international stage. This partnership will not only enhance Türkiye’s domestic policies but also reinforce its role as a regional leader in promoting gender equality and inclusive economic growth.