Although women pursue careers nowadays, 12 million housewives are a significant chunk of the female population. The government has stepped up efforts to include them in the workforce and benefit from social insurance. Some 100,000 women are now registered for voluntary insurance payments for eligibility for pensions and free access to health services, while the government runs vocational training programs to help the women.
In particular, the drive aids women between the ages of 35 and 40 who lack skills. Most housewives depend on their husbands or fathers for social security and have no other revenue. A prevalent mindset that advises women not to work if there is a breadwinner at home already, namely their spouse, leave them economically dependent and with little money once their husbands die. The government, as part of a campaign to boost the female workforce, offers training especially for work-at-home jobs and consultancy services for housewives seeking jobs. State-run employment agency İŞKUR will open more vocational training courses with job guarantees for women.
Through Multi-Purpose Social Centers (ÇATOM), the government reached out to about 100,000 women. Women specializing in handicrafts, souvenir making and similar courses will be endorsed for marketing their products.