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Nearly Half of Türkiye's Working-Age Adults Bear Care Responsibilities, Men's Employment Surges When They Do
Almost one in two adults in Türkiye carries caregiving responsibilities at home, yet the burden falls unevenly — and its effect on employment plays out in starkly opposite way...
Onur MetinKurucu & Araştırmacı Veri Gazetecisi • HepsiVeri
Almost one in two adults in Türkiye carries caregiving responsibilities at home, yet the burden falls unevenly — and its effect on employment plays out in starkly opposite ways for men and women, according to new data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) in May 2026.The figures, drawn from the 2025 Reconciliation of Work and Family Life survey, show that 43.1% of the country’s 59.1 million adults aged 18–74 have care duties. Women shoulder a larger share, at 45.6%, compared with 40.6% of men.
Key Figures
Indicator
Value
Population aged 18–74 in Türkiye
59,127,000
Share with care responsibilities
43.1%
Women with care responsibilities
45.6%
Men with care responsibilities
40.6%
Source: TurkStat, Reconciliation of Work and Family Life Survey, 2025
Care Boosts Men’s Employment, Constrains Women’s
At first glance, the headline numbers appear counterintuitive. Adults with care responsibilities recorded a higher labour force participation rate, at 60.5%, than those without care duties, who stood at 56.4%. The overall rate for the 18–74 age group was 58.2% in 2025.
Group
Rate
Overall, ages 18–74
58.2%
With care duties
60.5%
Without care duties
56.4%
Women with care duties
37.8%
Women without care duties
41.7%
Men with care duties
86.0%
Men without care duties
70.0%
Source: TurkStat
But the aggregate figure masks a deep gender divide. For women, having care duties modestly reduces participation: 37.8% of women with caregiving roles were in the labour force, compared with 41.7% of those without. For men, the pattern is reversed. Men with care responsibilities posted a participation rate of 86.0%, compared with 70.0% for men without such duties.
The finding suggests that care duties may function as an economic motivator for men while creating barriers for women.
Child Care Dominates, Formal Services Remain Rare
Among employed adults, child care is by far the most common form of care responsibility, affecting 39.0% of workers. Care for grandchildren and care for adult relatives each accounted for 2.3%, while a further 2.1% managed multiple types of care simultaneously.
Care Type
Share of Employed Adults
Child care only
39.0%
Grandchild care only
2.3%
Adult care only
2.3%
Combined child/adult or grandchild/adult care
2.1%
Source: TurkStat
Despite the scale of these responsibilities, formal care solutions remain rare. A striking 83.0% of employed parents with children under 15 did not use any professional child care services. Only 14.0% used institutional care centres, while even fewer opted for paid home-based care.
Service Used
Share
No professional services
83.0%
Institutional care centres
14.0%
Paid professional care at home
1.6%
Both institutional and home care
1.4%
Source: TurkStat
The picture is similar for adult care. Among those responsible for adult dependents, 79.3% managed without professional support. Of those who did seek help, 17.0% used paid care at home and 3.6% relied on institutional centres.
Service Used
Share
No professional services
79.3%
Paid professional care at home
17.0%
Institutional care centres
3.6%
Source: TurkStat
Families Rely on Themselves, While Cost Remains a Barrier
When asked why they did not use professional child care, 50.8% of employed parents said they or their spouse provided the care personally. A further 19.7% said their children were old enough to look after themselves.
Reason
Share
Care provided by themselves or spouse
50.8%
Children can look after themselves
19.7%
High cost of services
17.6%
Grandparents or other relatives
5.5%
Source: TurkStat
Cost was also a major factor. Some 17.6% cited the high cost of professional services, making it the third most common reason for not using professional child care. Another 5.5% relied on grandparents or other relatives.For adult care, the majority, 72.6%, said professional services were not needed. However, 17.9% cited cost, while 5.3% said services were unavailable or fully booked.
Reason
Share
Did not need it
72.6%
High cost
17.9%
No available or fully booked services
5.3%
Source: TurkStat
Most Manage, But Millions Still Struggle
Seven in ten employed people with care duties, or 70.1%, reported no significant difficulty balancing work and family life. However, that still leaves an estimated 4.3 million people facing challenges.
Indicator
Value
Reported no difficulty
70.1%
Reported difficulty
4,303,000 people
Leading obstacle: long working hours
38.4%
Men citing long hours
39.3%
Women citing long hours
36.4%
Demanding or exhausting job
26.9%
Long commute
8.9%
Source: TurkStat
Among those reporting difficulty, long working hours were the most common obstacle, at 38.4%. This was followed by demanding or physically exhausting jobs, at 26.9%, and lengthy commutes, at 8.9%. Men were slightly more likely to cite long working hours, at 39.3%, compared with 36.4% of women.
A System Still Built on the Family
The TurkStat data points to a care system that remains strongly rooted in informal, family-based arrangements. While many adults appear to manage their dual responsibilities, the persistent gender gap, the low use of formal care services and the role of cost all point to structural challenges that extend beyond individual household choices.
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