A landmark initiative to encourage more women to join the workforce helped some 18,000 mothers continue in their careers while their children are in day care. The Social Security Institution (SGK) and European Union Delegation to Turkey have been supervising and funding the project for working mothers since 2019.

The day care aid looks to address a common problem for women seeking jobs or hoping to resume their careers: a place they can entrust their children to without having to pay high expenses for child care. Since 2019, a total of 22 million euros ($24 million) in funds has been funneled into the project.

Women participating in the program are given 100 euros monthly for day care expenses, with an extra 100 euros for "stationery expenses" paid once a year. Mothers working in jobs with SGK benefits can enroll in the program if they have children aged 5 and below.

The project was first implemented in seven provinces, including the capital Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, and was extended from 24 months to 29 months due to huge interest. Current beneficiaries will receive five more months of payment within the scope of the project, which was expected to end this year.

Deniz Sarışın Gökkuş, one of the mothers receiving day care funds, says she joined the project in November 2019 and it has helped her life and that of her child. "I take comfort knowing that my son will be in day care where he can spend his days happily in a place that will contribute to his self-development. I would have had to abandon my career if it wasn’t for this project," she told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday.

Berna Akdin, another mother, said the funds helped her find a place "with professional caretakers" for her child. "I no longer have to worry about what will happen to my child while I am working," she says.

When it comes to the employment of women, their participation in the workforce still remains below that of men in Turkey. 2020 figures show 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.