Turkey legislative proposal targets social security for housewives

A comprehensive 40-article legislative proposal has been submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, aiming to provide social security and retirement rights to millions of women performing unpaid domestic work and caregiving.

Key provisions of the proposal include counting unpaid domestic cleaning and care activities toward insurance periods for retirement. To support caregivers, the bill suggests providing free psychological support, training, and legal counseling, alongside state-provided “respite care” to allow caregivers to rest without losing benefits. It also proposes at least 30 days of paid leave per year for continuous caregivers.

Financial aspects of the bill include the Treasury covering retirement and health insurance premiums for housewives, with options for individuals to pay additional premiums to increase future pensions. The proposal also allows for the retroactive counting of years spent working in the home without insurance. Furthermore, domestic workers providing cleaning or care services in homes would be brought under the protection of the Labor Law.