What is the project about?

United Nations Joint Programme on Transformative Growth of the Care Economy in Türkiye, financed by the Joint SDG Fund, supports the expansion and transformation of Türkiye’s care economy by promoting inclusive, quality care services, innovative digital tools, and sustainable financing models. It strengthens the national policy framework to ensure better care support for children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. 

What is the situation? 

Türkiye’s national policies such as the 12th National Development Plan, the Women Empowerment Strategy Document and Action Plan (2024–2028), the Elderly Rights and Disability Rights National Action Plans (2023–2025), emphasize the need for sustainable and high-quality, accessible care services and inclusive approaches. In alignment with these national policies, the development of the care economy is supported by several strategic frameworks and key international conventions such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). These policy and legal frameworks emphasize the need for accessible, rights-based, and inclusive care services for all, with a specific focus on professionalizing the care workforce, empowering women, and enabling independent living for the elderly and persons with disabilities. UNDP, in line with its Gender Equality Strategy (2022–2025), supports the integration of care services within a broader socio-economic model that protects both people and the environment, promoting universal and gender-responsive social protection systems.

What is our mission? 

The mission of the UN Joint Programme is to foster a resilient and inclusive care economy by developing ready-to-implement models, enhancing institutional capacities, and advocating for increased investments in care services, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5, 8, and 17.

How are we doing this?

The UN Joint Programme, financed by the Joint SDG Fund, is coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator in Türkiye. The International Labour Organization (ILO) Türkiye leads the joint programme and jointly implements with the UNDP Türkiye. The Ministry of Family and Social Services serves as the government counterpart and key partner for the UN Joint Programme. UN Women, UNICEF, and UNFPA in Türkiye give technical support. Academic institutions, worker and employer organizations, and civil society organizations (CSOs) will also participate in the project implementation process. The UN Joint Programme aims to achieve its target with the following actions:

• Establishing a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue platform
• Designing public-private care service models for Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs)
• Researching and piloting digital tools for aging in place and independent living
• Conducting training and capacity development for public institutions and social partners
• Creating a national roadmap for care policy and financing

How will Türkiye benefit? 

• A national policy dialogue platform will be established to support the development of inclusive and quality care service policies.
• Training programs will be organized for policymakers and social partners to improve decision-making processes related to care investments and digital transformation.
• Roadmaps and frameworks will be developed to guide future investments in digital care solutions and ensure sustainability.
• Policy development activities will be carried out to promote better working conditions and decent work opportunities for care workers.
• Recommendations will be provided to strengthen collaboration among public institutions, the private sector, and social partners, and to develop joint solutions.