The role of women in social service policies and gender equality in Turkey: a case study of social services and child protection agency (SHÇEK)

Social work is the set of services offered to people and groups that are disadvantaged in society because of various reasons - including gender inequality - to accomplish personal freedom and social equality. Based on this description, it can be said that social work and feminism have a common goal. Women's empowerment is fundamental in both social work studies and feminist approach. Between 1983 and 2001, the authorized institution for social work in Turkey had been the Social Services and Protection of Children Institution. In this study, after the consideration of the definition and goals of the social work, the points where services offered to women in the policies and practices of the institution are reproduced in the context of gender inequality, or the services offered and policies created for the solution of inequality problem are discussed and a social work policy that will lead to the gender equality is researched. After the research it's seen that the institution has many areas of work and these areas, in context of gender equality, don't show consistency, some services are offered within the frame of gender equality, and some services reinforce or reproduce gender inequality. The institution follows a family centered policy based on the empowerment of the family, positions the women according to their role in the family and shape it's general services in this direction. Keywords: Social work, gender equality, SHÇEK, violence against women, women and care issue, women and poverty