Social Gender Inequality in the Member, Candidate, Potential Canditate Transition Economies of the European Union and Turkey

Abstract

In this research, a comparative analysis of the gender inequalities between Turkey the member, candidate and potential candidate economies of the European Union is tried to be examined. To ensure equality and justice and to reach the level of the EU Member states in this regard, it is a necessity to reduce the gender inequality in society. Rather than comparing Turkey with all transition economies within the frame of the EU standards of gender inequality, it was decided to compare Turkey with the transition economies like itself that are EU Members, Member candidates and potential candidates. The Gender Inequality Index that was developed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) was used in the aforementioned comparisons. Research results show proof that there are unfavorable differences in Turkey in regards to the comparison of gender inequality with transition economies that are EU members, member candidates and potential candidates. This result shows that Turkey has omissions in all components of gender inequality, categorized as health care, participation in political life, access to education and participation in working life. Therefore Turkey needs to reconsider all these categories and their indicators.