Such a generous bill for women sparks doubts

The Women Employment Law is on the agenda; it could pass in parliament any moment. Women in this country, you know, are regularly being encouraged to give birth. The law enables new mothers to work part-time and receive a full salary.

Normally, one?s first reaction to this would be ?wow, oh God, how generous.? Indeed, at first glance it looks as if it is a clause that protects women. However, there is a ?but.?

I spoke to the head of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAG?DER) Gülden Türktan on the upcoming draft on Women Employment Law. Türktan said we will all see whether or not this bill will increase or decrease female employment. At present there are many questions about the bill, she said, including the starting and finishing time, lunch, transportation and - most important of all - will employers choose to hire men instead of women in these circumstances?

This part-time fully paid worker is an extra cost for the employer. While transportation is provided for full-time workers, the employer will have to provide extra transportation for, say, three pregnant women and a new mother. Türktan says this will increase the cost of women workers, so when the cost increases like this, women?s opportunities to work will decrease.

Under these conditions, I asked what the real aim behind this bill was.

Türkan replied: ?The president has a very clear discourse: He is saying ?give birth to children. The more children you have, the more opportunities Turkey will have.? As women give birth to more children, the working population will be more than the non-working population and this will make the country grow economically. This is their policy. But actually, there is a potential for non-working women in our country. If...