According to the report titled “Women in Turkey” published in January 2021 by the General Directorate on the Status of Women under the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, measurable progress has been achieved in several areas through ongoing policy measures. Nevertheless, women’s labor force participation rate in Turkey remains at 34.2 percent, while only 8.7 percent of employers are women.

Derya Ekemen Fidan, General Manager of Octet Türkiye, emphasizes an important question. While advertisements, corporate messaging, and national employment strategies consistently highlight the importance of increasing women’s participation in the workforce, what is the current reality of women’s employment in society?

When considering women’s social and emotional intelligence, communication skills, creativity, inclusive leadership approach, attention to detail, organizational capability, and persuasive strengths, achieving gender equality in technology sector employment is not only desirable but inevitable. Changing the long standing perception of technology as a male dominated field requires employers and executives to provide equal opportunities and actively increase the number of women leaders within the sector.

Responsibility, however, does not rest solely with industry stakeholders. Women who aspire to build careers in technology must trust their creativity, analytical thinking, and problem solving capabilities, while continuously focusing on generating value. At the same time, public policy support is essential. Investment in education, updated training programs, and adaptive policy frameworks will accelerate the increase of women employment in technology.

Despite significant progress in literacy initiatives, Turkish Statistical Institute data from 2019 indicates that 1,738,389 women in Turkey are still illiterate. While the number of illiterate girls between the ages of 6 and 24 has decreased to 9,566, which may be viewed as positive progress, disparities remain evident. Among the population aged six and above, the illiteracy rate is 4.7 percent for women compared to 0.7 percent for men. These figures clearly highlight ongoing gender inequality in education.

The same government report shows that women represent 50.32 percent of academic staff in universities. However, only 31.95 percent of professors, 39.71 percent of associate professors, and 44.03 percent of assistant professors are women. Although women account for 50.85 percent of research assistants, leadership representation remains limited. Out of 196 universities, only 19 have female rectors, and the proportion of female deans is just 20.05 percent. In primary education, women constitute 94.4 percent of preschool teachers and 64 percent of primary school teachers. Yet among 81 provincial directors of national education, only three are women. Of 825 district directors, only 12 are women, and among 30,832 school principals, just 2,904 are female. These figures demonstrate a clear leadership gap.

According to data from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, 54 banks operate within the Turkish banking system. Only four of them have female chief executives. Although women represent 51 percent of total banking sector employment, approximately 10 percent of board members are women. This imbalance shows that while women carry operational responsibility, leadership positions remain predominantly male.

Although there is no dedicated research specifically on women employment in fintech in Turkey, broader technology sector data provides insight. Research conducted by Deloitte Türkiye in collaboration with TÜBİSAD reveals that 96 percent of women surveyed in the technology sector hold a university degree or higher. However, only 6 percent occupy C level positions and 14 percent hold senior management roles. Women believe they are underrepresented in the sector, where female employment is reported at 7 percent. Globally, women represent approximately 27 percent of the technology workforce, while the proportion of women leaders remains below 20 percent.

Social conditioning begins at an early age. Toys, games, and role models influence career aspirations. While all professions are valuable, women have historically been directed toward roles socially perceived as more suitable, such as teaching, nursing, or medicine. Careers such as engineering, technical trades, driving, or professional sports have traditionally been associated with men. Technology is one of the sectors where women have had to assert their presence despite social barriers. Yet, despite these structural challenges, women continue to expand their representation and leadership in technology.

At Octet Türkiye, eight of the company’s twenty one employees are women. The goal is to increase this ratio to 50 percent within one year. This commitment reflects a belief that gender balanced leadership and inclusive employment structures are essential for sustainable growth in fintech and the broader digital economy.

Increasing women employment in technology and fintech will not only strengthen innovation and competitiveness but will also reshape the perception of the sector itself.

Author: Derya Ekemen Fidan, General Manager

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