Religion, patriarchy and female employment in Turkey: the case of faith-based organizations

Despite years of efforts, the female employment rate in Turkey is significantly low compared to the developed and even some developing countries, whose underlying factors need to be investigated. This study intends to contribute to the literature by exploring the impact of faith-based attitudes and behaviours in hindering women's employment by focusing on the case of faith-based aid organizations (FBOs) through six in-depth interviews conducted at FBOs located in generally conservative districts of Istanbul. The findings indicate that institutionalized and non-institutionalized FBOs differ in their approach to female employment. The non-institutionalized FBOs surveyed do not plan to employ women on a professional basis but benefit from the female workforce on a voluntary basis. The institutionalized FBOs, however, employ women in their office, yet in a segregated way and in positions they deem suitable for women's emotional, patient and manageable character.