‘Incentive for motherhood’ package: One year of leave, salary and daycare support
Following a record decline in birth rates in Turkey, it has been learned that the Ministry of Family and Social Services has begun preparations for a new support package for mothers. The package reportedly includes one year of maternity leave, salary improvements, and daycare or rent support.
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According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the fertility rate in Turkey, which was at 2.38 in 2001, fell to 1.51 in 2023, dropping below the population replacement threshold of 2.1.
During a Cabinet Meeting, AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who described the declining birth rates in Turkey as an 'existential threat,' had stated, “Declining birth rates are sounding an alarm in our country, just as they are across the world. We will implement new practices regarding this issue.”
INSTRUCTION FROM ERDOĞAN TO GÖKTAŞ
According to a report by Ebru Karatosun from Hürriyet, Erdoğan instructed the Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, to conduct work on the matter. In this direction, extending maternity leave to one year, salary improvements, and daycare or rent support are on the agenda.
NEW SUPPORT PACKAGE COMING
It was learned that Family Minister Göktaş made a presentation to the AKP's strategy team in recent weeks regarding steps that could be taken to extend maternity leave to one year. However, following the presentation, AKP officials stated that this process should not be limited to just maternity leave, and that global examples should be examined to provide state support gradually for second and third children. In the meeting, in addition to increasing leave gradually based on the second and third child, daycare or rent support, as well as some potential regulations regarding women's personal rights and salaries, came to the fore.
'WE NEED TO WORK ON IT A BIT MORE'
AKP officials stated the following regarding the issue:
“A more comprehensive study needs to be done. It is not just about maternity leave; our women want to have children. Daycare support, employee support, rent support. A woman works and wants to have a child, but the salary for nannies is not below 30-40 thousand liras. Support must be provided for the second and third child. We need to work on it a bit more. The Ministry of Family has a significant budget. It is not just about extending maternity leave; the developmental stage we call 0-3 years is also important.”