United Metalworkers' Women's Commission Reaction to the Government on Daycare Center: "Daycare is a Fundamental Right, Mother Neighbor is not a Temporary Solution!"

ANKARA - The Women's Commission of the United Metalworkers' Union (Birleşik Metal-İş) reacted strongly against the "Neighbor Mother" project planned by the Ministry of Family and Social Security to alleviate the childcare burden of women. In its press release, the Commission emphasized that such projects do not offer a permanent solution and that childcare should be provided through crèches, which is a fundamental responsibility of the social state.

The Women's Commission stated that the government is trying to avoid the biggest obstacle to women's employment with temporary and precarious practices such as the "Grandmother Project". In the statement, it was emphasized that the responsibility of childcare still falls on the shoulders of women and this situation causes women to move away from business life.

"While Public Daycare Centers are Insufficient, This Project Deepens the Problem"

In the statement, it was stated that the "Neighbor Mother" project is a complementary application in international examples, but due to the insufficient daycare infrastructure in Turkey, it will lead to a deepening of the problem, not a solution. The United Metal-İş Women's Commission argued that qualified, accessible and free public daycare centers should be expanded so that children can grow up in a safe and healthy environment.

The union's Women's Commission said, "For the safety of children and their protection from violence and abuse, qualified, accessible and free public nurseries must be expanded, including in organized industrial zones. The need for childcare cannot be overcome with temporary and tokenistic models such as 'Mother Next Door' that will start and end with funding."