Nimet Cubukcu, the state minister responsible for women's issues, family and children's issues, said employment among women has reshaped together with the economic changes after 1980.

Cubukcu said that the information generation technology and consumption models have expanded speedily.

She added that the women have moved from the manufacturing industry to the services sector with the reshaping of the workforce market. The following are her thoughts on "women's employment":

Fields of employment for women

"Women, who lost their jobs in the manufacturing industry, have moved to the health, social services, education and tourism sectors," said Cubukcu. "But because supply and demand operate conversely, it was difficult for both men and women to find jobs."

According to Cubukcu, women's participation in the labor force today is around 25.4 percent. She finds this percentage quite low.

She gives the following reasons for the low participation of women in the labor force:

* The high an fast increase in population,

* The increase in the number of jobless each year,

* The declining trend in the fields of employment,

* The decrease in agricultural employment because of immigration to cities,

* Longer education periods,

* The presence of unregistered and informal economy.

"Women participate in the labor force mostly between the ages of 20 and 29," said Cubukcu. "Women participate 57.2 percent in agriculture, 30.1 percent in the services industry, and 13.6 percent in the manufacturing industry."

Unemployment among women is about 10 percent

The 2004 data show that unemployment among women in Turkey is 9.7 percent, said Cubukcu. She added that the figure would go up to 18.8 percent when the young population is taken into account.

Women in the last couple of years have begun working as wage earners and as employers, said Cubukcu. "But education is playing a negative role in women's employment."

Minister Cubukcu said:

"Education plays the key role in women's employment. Participation in labor force increases with the level of education.

But there is inequality in education. Even if this inequality is overcome, there is need for systematic and widespread education so that women's labor can earn quality."

Without social security and unions

Minister Cubukcu said the women working in the agriculture industry don't have social security. "The women's situation is not different in other fields of employment.

Women working in the manufacturing and services industry generally have low status and low wages, and are temporary workers without social security."

According to Cubukcu only about 15 percent of working women belong to a union. (AD/EA/YE)