Work-life balance policies and women's participation in the workforce: Evaluation of the Southern European Welfare Regime and Türkiye

This study aims to examine the work-life balance policies and women's labor force participation within the Southern European Welfare Regime, which includes Turkey. In the first chapter, the conceptual framework of work-life balance is thoroughly addressed. The second chapter explores the relationship between welfare regimes and work-life balance, focusing on the fundamental characteristics of different regimes. In the third chapter, the barriers to women's labor force participation are discussed, and comparative data regarding Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the OECD average are presented. The final chapter analyzes the public care, parental leave, and flexible working policies implemented in countries within the Southern European Welfare Regime. The primary objective of this study is to draw attention to work-life balance policies that influence women's labor force participation and to analyze these policies within the context of the welfare regime. Additionally, the study aims to examine Turkey's work-life balance policies and highlight the similarities and differences between Turkey and other countries within the Southern European Welfare Regime. The data discussed in the third chapter reveal that Turkey has the lowest level of women's labor force participation among the countries analyzed. The final chapter concludes that the policies designed to ensure work-life balance within the Southern European Welfare Regime generally exhibit similarities. In conclusion, this study seeks to provide an evaluation of Turkey's work-life balance policies. The relationship between work-life balance and women's labor force participation is identified as the central issue of the study, and it is concluded that this relationship is not sufficiently considered within the Southern European Welfare Regime.