Turkey's Ministry of Family and Social Services continues to allocate the majority of its social assistance to women. Women made up about 57% of beneficiaries of social aid in 2021, according to a report published by the Sabah newspaper earlier this week. . They also comprise 52% of permanent recipients of social aid.

The government’s affirmative action covers everything in terms of assistance for women. They are entitled to regular cash aid if they are in need and widowed women receive regular monetary benefits. For families of soldiers and civilians recognized as "martyrs" (those killed in terrorist attacks or in counterterrorism operations), women are the main beneficiaries of aid allocated to those households. Women can apply for social aid through social assistance and solidarity foundations in each of the country's 81 provinces and through the e-government website.

Mothers without social security and in need receive aid if they regularly bring their children to health checks, while expectant mothers are required to regularly have health checks and give birth at hospitals to be eligible for aid. Conditional assistance includes TL 100 ($5.50) monthly during pregnancy, an additional TL 55 monthly for each child, TL 150 cash aid for births at hospitals and another TL 150 for two months after the birth.

Since 2015, every mother is entitled to a one-time payment of TL 300 for the first child born, TL 400 for the second child and TL 600 for any additional children. For multiple births, mothers are entitled to bimonthly TL 215.

Payments for each child are also part of a larger scheme to reinvigorate the population as the elderly population has increased by 24% in the past five years. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan famously advises newlyweds to have at least three children. Turkey once boasted one of the youngest populations in Europe, but the proportion of the elderly population is rapidly increasing. Indeed, projections show it could reach 11% within the next three years and exceed 16.3% by 2040.

Women without social security benefits and widowed receive TL 500 bimonthly, while families of martyred soldiers receive TL 1,500 bimonthly.

The ministry also runs Family Support Centers (ADEM) and Social Solidarity Centers (SODAM) to boost women’s inclusion in economic and social life. It also provides incentives and loans for female entrepreneurs. Services focus on cities and towns where socio-economic development is low and predominantly inhabited by disadvantaged communities. The centers and their affiliate offer a wide array of training classes, from vocational learning to cultural and sports courses. Conferences and seminars complement the efforts, offering women personal development, health care and civil rights education.

When it comes to the employment of women, their participation in the workforce still remains below that of men in Turkey. 2020 figures showed only 26.3% of women in the country over the age of 15 were employed. Though factors vary, the responsibilities that come with having children are among the causes derailing women’s employment prospects. Even if employed, women have to pay high day care bills or hire nannies, forcing them to spend a portion of their salaries on their children’s needs.

The majority of women are employed in the service and agriculture sectors, though Turkey seeks to diversify the employment statistics. Female entrepreneurs flourish in the country thanks to a string of incentives provided by the government. Also, to encourage more women to reenter the workforce after giving up their careers to raise children, the government offers partial coverage of daycare costs for working mothers. It also increased the length of maternity leave for working women, and grandparents looking after the children also are entitled to allowances as part of the employment scheme. Other incentives include financial support for women’s cooperatives and interest-free loans for female entrepreneurs.