I first became aware of the depth of this need during my early experiences at work. One afternoon, while sitting in my office, I noticed a young boy, around seven years old, wheeling an office chair down the hallway. Although the noise was distracting, it made me pause and question why a child was present in the workplace. It was after 3:00 p.m., and he was still wearing his school uniform. Later, I learned that his mother had picked him up from school and brought him back to work because she had no other childcare options. As I continued to observe my surroundings, I noticed more children appearing in the building after school dismissal. This pattern highlighted how common it is for working mothers to juggle professional responsibilities and child care due to the lack of institutional support.
The community has this need due to a combination of cultural, economic and structural factors. Culturally, caregiving responsibilities are largely viewed as women’s work, which reduces pressure on institutions and the state to provide comprehensive childcare services. Structurally, child care has not been prioritized as a public good in Turkey, leaving families to rely on private services or informal care arrangements. Economically, widespread inflation and low wages have made private child care unaffordable for many families. Together, these factors create a system in which women are expected to manage child care independently, even while participating in the workforce.
