Social services of local governments for women between 2010-2020: Istanbul and Izmir Metropolitan Municipalities cases

In this study, the social services offered to women between 2010 and 2020 were examined through local governments. Municipalities were chosen as the service provider local government unit to be focused on. The conceptual framework of the thesis is based on the understanding of social municipality. In this context, the historical development of social municipality in the world and in Turkey is emphasized, and what kind of functions social municipality has in the social services offered to women. The development of social municipality in Turkey, on the other hand, is handled by making a periodic distinction as before and after the republic. While discussing social municipality here, the gender dimension of social services, which is one of the implementation tools of social policies, was emphasized, and the effects of social assistance and services offered to women on women's lives and well-being were discussed. It has been determined that there are different political approaches in determining the local policies to be implemented in order to institutionalize a gender sensitive understanding in the budget planning of municipalities and in the presentation of their services. Within the scope of the study, Istanbul and Izmir Metropolitan Municipalities, which were governed by mayors, one from the ruling party and the other from the main opposition party, were selected as examples to evaluate their services to women in social municipality between 2010-2020. Gender sensitivities of two different municipalities; social municipality understandings and the scope and qualities of the services they provide in connection with this, are presented in a comparative manner. The strategic plans published by the municipalities in this date range have been included in the analysis as they are the top policy documents of the municipalities and will guide in examining the gender dimension of the social services provided. In the study, it has been questioned whether a women-friendly municipality that takes equality as the main dynamic is possible through the services offered or planned to be offered to women in line with the understanding of social municipality. Keywords: Gender, Local Governments, Social Municipality, Social Services