Ministry of Family and Social Services

The Ministry of Family and Social Services (Turkish: Aile ve Sosyal Hizmetler Bakanlığı) is a government ministry of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for family affairs and social services. The ministry is headed by Mahinur Özdemir.[1]

Ministry of Family and Social Services
Aile ve Sosyal Hizmetler Bakanlığı
Agency overview
Formed2011
HeadquartersAnkara
Minister responsible
Deputy Ministers responsible
Websitewww.aile.gov.tr

History

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Before the establishment of the ministry in 2011, the portfolio of women and family affairs was executed by a state minister in the cabinet with the help of the Agency for Social Services and Children Protection (Turkish: Başbakanlık Sosyal Hizmetler ve Çocuk Esirgeme Kurumu). The first head of the new established ministry was Fatma Şahin.[2] In 2018, the ministry was merged with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to form the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services. This merger was undone in 2021, making the Labour and Social Security related tasks headed by a separate minister.

Services

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The ministry features following branches of service:

  • Family and Public Services (Aile ve Toplum Hizmetleri)
  • Children Services (Çocuk Hizmetleri)
  • Disabled and Elderly Services (Engelli ve Yaşlı Hizmetleri)
  • Status of Women (Kadının Statüsü)
  • Social Aids (Sosyal Yardımlar)
  • Services for Martyr Relatives and Veterans (Şehit Yakınları ve Gazi Hizmetleri)

Projects and programs

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Domestic violence

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The ministry worked out a bill on the "Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Women", which passed on March 8, 2012.[3] After the passage of the bill, 800 men in Izmir received a stay away order for a term between three and six months upon application of their wives to the public prosecutor. Ninety women who had been evicted from their home or were at risk of getting killed by their partners found accommodation in women's shelters.[4][5]

Following the enactment of the law on domestic violence, the ministry put an electronic device called a panic button into service in September 2012 for use by women in emergency situations of a threat. Additionally, a one-touch mobile phone application was in development for emergency police calls.[6]

According to the records of the ministry, a total of 695 people, including 369 women, lost their lives between 2009 and 2012 as a result of domestic violence.[7] The ministry reported in January 2013 that 6,764 women across the country received police protection. Adana Province ranked in first place with 1,605 women.[8]

The ministry continued to be part of lawsuits on honor killings and child abuses. In a timespan of three months in 2012, the ministry got involved in 17 cases.[9] In some cases, however, the court refused the ministry's request.[4]

In January 2014, the ministry prepared and circulated a manual to inform women about domestic violence, listing patterns of abusive behavior in a relationship with a partner.[10]

Disabled and Elderly Care

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The ministry started a project in 2012 for the establishment of special centers for the care of people with developmental disabilities and Alzheimer's disease.[11]

Vocational education for women

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The ministry, together with the Ministry of National Education, launched a program on "vocational education for women". In one year, it was attended by 780 women from 28 provinces. The most popular class was "Child Care and Technology".[12]

List of ministers

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Name (Born-Died) Party Term of Office Cabinet
Minister of State (Responsible for Women and Family Affairs)
Güler İleri (1948–) SHP 20 Nov 1991 22 Feb 1992 Demirel VII
Türkân Akyol (1928–2017) 4 Mar 1992 25 Jun 1993
25 Jun 1993 27 Jul 1994 Çiller I
Önay Alpago 27 Jul 1994 27 Mar 1995
Aysel Baykal (1939–2003) CHP 27 Mar 1995 5 Oct 1995
Işılay Saygın (1947– ) DYP 5 Oct 1995 23 Feb 1996 Çiller II
28 Jun 1996 11 Jan 1999 Çiller III
Güldal Akşit (1960–2021) AKP 29 Apr 2003 2 Jun 2005 Erdoğan I
Nimet Çubukçu (1965– ) 2 Jun 2005 29 Aug 2007
29 Aug 2007 2 May 2009 Erdoğan II
Selma Aliye Kavaf (1962– ) 2 May 2009 6 Jul 2011
Minister of Family and Social Policy
Fatma Şahin (1966– ) AKP 6 Jul 2011 25 Dec 2013 [13] Erdoğan III
Ayşenur İslam (1958– ) 25 Dec 2013 29 Aug 2014
29 Aug 2014 28 Aug 2015 Davutoğlu I
Ayşen Gürcan (1963– ) Indep 28 Aug 2015 17 Nov 2015 Davutoğlu II
Sema Ramazanoğlu (1959– ) AKP 24 Nov 2015 24 May 2016 Davutoğlu III
Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya (1981– ) 24 May 2016 10 Jul 2018 Yıldırım I
Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy
Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk (1979– ) Indep 10 Jul 2018 21 Apr 2021 Erdoğan IV
Minister of Family and Social Services
Derya Yanık (1972– ) AKP 21 Apr 2021 3 Jun 2023 Erdoğan IV
Mahinur Özdemir (1982– ) 3 Jun 2023 present Erdoğan V

References

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  1. ^ "Yeni Kabine listesi açıklandı, bakanlar belli oldu! İşte yeni Bakanlar Kurulu isim listesi". Habertürk (in Turkish). 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. ^ "'Fatma Bacı' kabinenin tek kadın bakanı oldu". Radikal (in Turkish). 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  3. ^ "Ailenin Korunması ve Kadına Karşı Şiddetin Önlenmesine Dair Kanun". T.C. Resmi Gazete (in Turkish). 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  4. ^ a b "Bakanlığın müdahilik talebine ret". Habertürk (in Turkish). 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  5. ^ İnmez, Mehmet (2012-05-15). "Bilanço ağır!". Habertürk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  6. ^ Yazdıç, Esra (2012-09-11). "Polisten kadınlara özel uygulama!". Habertürk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  7. ^ "369 kadın hayatını kaybetti". Habertürk (in Turkish). 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  8. ^ "6764 kadına polis koruması verildi". Habertürk (in Turkish). 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  9. ^ "Bakanlık kadın davalarına müdahil oluyor". Habertürk (in Turkish). 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  10. ^ Serim, Esra (2014-01-21). "Aile Bakanlığı'ndan şiddet kılavuzu". Habertürk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  11. ^ "Alzheimerlılar özel ellerde". Habertürk (in Turkish). 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  12. ^ Serim, Esra (2014-01-28). "Aile Bakanlığı'ndan eğitim desteği". Habertürk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  13. ^ "Kadın bakanlardan duygusal devir-teslim". Habertürk (in Turkish). 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
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