The effect of current positive discrimination policies applied to women in the world and in Turkey on women's employment in the pandemic period

Since the Industrial Revolution, the problems encountered by women in the workforce have been increasing steadily, and with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, these issues have become essential to address. Throughout history, in many patriarchal societies, women's roles in the workforce have been limited to unpaid agricultural labor or household chores and caretaking responsibilities. The participation of women in the workforce is not only important for maintaining social balance but also contributes to the support of the national economy. Therefore, there is a curiosity about what positive discrimination policies have been implemented towards women workers struggling in difficult conditions in their workplaces during the pandemic period. The nature of positive discrimination policies applied to women, their development process, and the concepts and theories related to the phenomenon of positive discrimination have been examined specifically in the context of women. These policies, encompassing any improvement in the social and economic conditions of women, have been examined through the lens of Turkey and other selected countries worldwide, including the new additions introduced during the pandemic period. Due to the absence of a single comprehensive work on the measures taken by most countries during the pandemic in the literature, it is anticipated that this gap will be filled. It is observed that positive discrimination policies applied to women have not changed significantly during the pandemic period, as historically they have been limited to addressing the disadvantaged status of women based on their nature, and new policies continue to regulate women primarily in terms of household responsibilities and caring for children. Each policy containing innovations has been evaluated along with the interpretations and criticisms it has received. It has been observed that during the pandemic period, positive discrimination policies continue to shape according to women's roles as professionals in the workforce as well as their roles as mothers and spouses.