Since the 1970s, a series of demand and supply related changes have led
to significant labour market transformations which have brought about a
sustained increase in female employment throughout the world. While similar
transformations have also been underway in Turkey, the country appears to be
one of the rare exceptions to worldwide trends. During the last two decades
both female labour force participation and female employment rates have
declined at national level. In this article, two sets of questions are posed
to explore the factors likely to influence female labour force participation.
One set of questions pertains to the society-specific dynamics of structural
change in employment patterns in Turkey, with particular reference to the
level and composition of employment in the service sector. A second set of
questions is posed to examine labour market relations and the social policy
environment in Turkey, and their impact on the demand for and supply of
female labour. Current changes in the prevailing policy environment are
considered to highlight a certain contradiction in the attitudes of decision
makers who seem to be faced with a trade-off between continuing adherence
to conservative patriarchal values and the objectives of increasing labour
force participation and combating poverty.