Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said, "We will establish the Family Institute and Scientific Board, which will guide the policies on strengthening the family structure and values, protecting the family from risks and threats, and improving the psychosocial conditions of family members."

Making a presentation on the 2024 budget of the Ministry at the TBMM Plan and Budget Commission, Göktaş stated that today, as a government, they were making every effort and endeavor to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In this context, Göktaş stated that Palestinian children would be brought to Türkiye to heal their wounds caused by these unjust attacks and emphasized that Türkiye would continue to be the hand of compassion extended to the oppressed wherever they were in the world.

Reminding that an unprecedented devastation took place on February 6, Göktaş said that thousands of citizens lost their lives due to the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş and that 46 ministry employees were among those who lost their lives.

Emphasizing that the Ministry mobilized all the possibilities as a government from the first moment of the earthquake, Göktaş continued as follows:

"We rushed to the aid of our brothers affected by the earthquake with the central and provincial organizations. In the first day of the earthquake, we placed 2.610 people under our protection, including the persons with disabilities, older persons, children and women, in organizations in safe areas. 1300 Disaster Emergency Social Assistance teams were immediately deployed to the region. We sent 1.8 billion TL to Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations for the urgent needs of citizens. We established 88 national and international in-kind donation repositories. We established 300 social markets, 206 of which were in the earthquake zone. We put into operation 14 mobile social market trucks. We established 27 clothing and baby care units for women and babies. We organized 487 flights by air vehicles for in-kind donations and directed more than 32.000 aid trucks to in-kind aid depots. With teams, we have met with those affected by the earthquake in hospitals, tents and all areas where citizens live, and identified their needs."

"We have taken care of the 1912 children on behalf of the Turkish nation"

Göktaş stated that the Ministry carried out face-to-face, 24/7 uninterrupted psychosocial support activities with those affected by the earthquake all over the country, including the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and said that it reached 3.9 million people as a result of these activities.

Explaining that the Ministry made the logistics planning and provided the supplies of the materials needed in the disaster area, Göktaş stated that the Ministry created social areas under the title of "Women's Cooperatives Business Workshop" for the purpose of rehabilitation.

Underlining that the Ministry carried out a strict work with all institutions for children, Göktaş said, "We have established a 24/7 call center where requests and notifications about children are received. We have shared all the information with the public in a transparent manner. We have taken care of 1912 children who were separated from their families due to the earthquake or who did not have someone to lean on on behalf of the Turkish nation. We completed the identification studies of the children with a quick coordination. Within this scope, we delivered 1866 children to their parents or family relatives and made 5 children benefit from family-oriented services. We are now following the conditions of 2 children whose treatment is ongoing and taken 24 children under the care and protection of the Ministry. Unfortunately, 15 children passed away."

Stating that the Ministry laid the foundations of new children's home sites in Adıyaman and Hatay in October for children to grow up in a safe and peaceful environment, Göktaş said that these new living centers would be a warm home for children with their lush green gardens, playgrounds and sports fields.

Göktaş reminded that the Ministry opened centers for women and children in cooperation with CSOs, where various activities and events were organized, and that 120 sign language interpreters worked hard in the field for persons with disabilities affected by the earthquake.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry opened 6 break houses for persons with disabilities and stated that they were still actively continuing the work in the field.

 "We will share the Vision Document and Action Plan for Strengthening the Family with the nation at the beginning of 2024"

Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry implemented strong policies to protect and strengthen the family structure and values in which the strong generations building the Century of Türkiye would grow up.

Underlining that the Ministry committed to ensuring that women benefitted equally from opportunities and possibilities in all areas of life, Göktaş stated that the Ministry ensured the fair delivery of social services and aids to those in need through an effective service network and that the 12^th Development Plan's goal of "Qualified People, Strong Family, Healthy Society" was a concrete indicator of that approach.

Pointing out that the Ministry delivered services to citizens through central, provincial and overseas organizations, social service institutions and social assistance and solidarity foundations, Göktaş emphasized that the Ministry continued to serve the nation with 66.386 personnel.

Reminding that the Ministry organized "Family Workshops" in 81 provinces with the contributions of all stakeholders in order to strengthen the family, which was the foundation of the society, Göktaş said that these activities were crowned with the "8^th Family Council" organized with the participation of the President of the Republic of Türkiye H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Minister of Family and Social Services Göktaş continued her speech as follows:

"We will share the Vision Document and Action Plan for Strengthening the Family supporting our decisions with the nation at the beginning of 2024." With this plan, we will carry out awareness-raising activities all over the country on issues such as development, environment, climate and digitalization in the context of the family. We will establish the Family Institute and Scientific Board, which will guide the policies on strengthening the family structure and values, protecting the family from risks and threats, and improving the psychosocial conditions of family members. With the Institute, we will conduct academic studies guiding the policies of the Ministry and create qualified training programs increasing the professional knowledge and skills of the staff. With the Science Board, we will ensure the realization of stronger policies with a data-based, scientific and holistic perspective on the Ministry's areas of work. In the new period, we have started an important process in which we will develop cooperation with Turkic states in family-oriented services, education, research and psychosocial support. Therefore, the Ministry is working for the Turkic World Family Ministers Summit and the Turkic World Family Workshop."

 "The Ministry will open a Social Service Center in the TRNC"

Stating that the budget allocated to the Family Protection and Strengthening Program was a concrete indicator of the importance attached to the family, Göktaş said, "While a budget of 3.8 billion was allocated for the program in 2023, the Ministry have allocated 11.9 billion TL in 2024 with an increase of 208 %."

Stating that citizens had access to social services from a single point with 410 Social Service Centers opened all over the country, Göktaş said that the Ministry would expand the centers in different regions of Türkiye in order to facilitate access to social services.

"I would like to share the good news that the Ministry will open a Social Service Center in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 2024," Göktaş said, adding that the Ministry identified the needs in the field with the "Family Social Support Program", a strong implementation of the policies.

Stating that the Ministry conducted guidance and preventive measure activities by personalizing services with the Red Vest heroes, Göktaş used the following expressions:

"We have been a guest to a total of 6.9 million households since 2017. This year alone, we have reached 1.3 million households with the 4.786 ASDEP officers outside the earthquake zone. We have provided services to 109.000 people with the Family Counseling services launched in order to improve family communication. We have provided education to 1.6 million of young persons with the Premarital Education Program and to 3.8 million people with the Family Education Program. We will support  young people by encouraging new marriages with the Family and Youth Fund established with oil, natural gas and mining revenues. We will also support youth initiatives, development and social risk protection projects through the fund. The proposal for the law on the establishment of the fund has been adopted in the commission. In the Grand National Assembly, the negotiations are continuing. Immediately after the law proposal is passed by the Grand National Assembly, we will start pilot implementations in the earthquake zone in the first half of 2024. We will offer 150.000 TL support to the benefit of young persons with a 48 months of maturity, 2 years of grace period."

"The Ministry is launching a Neighborhood-Oriented nursery model"

Minister Göktaş underlined that in cooperation with the Turkish Green Crescent Society, the Ministry would resolutely continue to fight substance addiction, threatening young persons and the family.

Emphasizing that the Ministry worked with all its efforts to raise children as self-confident, educated and healthy persons with national values, Göktaş said that it organized training programs to support children's healthy development and parental skills in this context.

Reminding that the budget allocated for the Protection and Development of Children program this year was 14 billion TL, Göktaş stated that the Ministry allocated 26.5 billion TL to the program with an increase of 90 % in 2024.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry was working to increase the number of institutions providing care and education services for children aged 0-3 and said, "In this context, we are launching the 'Neighborhood Focused Nursery model. With this model, which will be expanded all over Türkiye, the Ministry aims to prevent women from having to make a choice between domestic or business life."

Explaining that with the "Social and Economic Support" program, the Ministry has followed 164.000 children with their families and without separating them from their social environment, Göktaş stated that the Ministry provided social services to those in need of psychosocial support and financial support of 3.571 TL per month to families experiencing financial difficulties.

Stating that children who were separated from their families grew up with love and compassion with the "Gönül Elçileri Project" carried out under the auspices of First Lady Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, the wife of the president of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Göktaş said that the Ministry increased the number of children in foster care to 9.535 by 2023 and provided 5.705 TL support for each child.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry were continuing their efforts to strengthen the foster family system and to expand the specialized and temporary foster family program, and that 494 children received a warm home with the adoption service this year alone, thus ensuring that 19.441 children grew up with the compassion of their families.

 "As of today, we have provided employment to 61.480 of young persons under government protection in the public sector"

Minister Göktaş said that the Ministry realized a major service transformation in child care organizations.

Göktaş stated that today 14.464 children were raised in a family environment in 1185 children's homes, 116 children's home sites and 64 specialized children's home sites and that the Ministry provided special protection and care services to 2.828 children with disabilities.

Stating that there were currently 5.517 children staying in institutions who were involved in at least one sport, Göktaş said that the Ministry was proud of their athletic children, 20 of whom were national, 1557 of whom were licensed and 3.960 of whom were amateurs.

Reminding that an athlete won a silver medal at the European Schools Chess Championship in May, Göktaş added that 175 degrees were achieved in different branches in national competitions.

Pointing out that the Ministry supported children who were interested in culture, arts, technology and informatics as well as sports, Göktaş said that it also prepared special internship programs to contribute to the professional development of children.

Göktaş stated that as of today, the Ministry ensured that 61.480 young persons under government protection were employed in the public sector, and that the Ministry also encouraged the employment of young persons in the private sector, and in this context, the Ministry paid all of the SSI premiums of young persons for five years from the date of their employment.

 "We have started 'Children's Digital Privacy’ oriented studies with RTÜK"

Minister Göktaş reminded that the Ministry launched the pilot implementation of the Child Living Center, a day-long child service unit, in Bursa last year and informed that the Ministry were continuing to work to expand the Child Living Centers opened in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay this year.

Reminding that the Ministry established Child Rights Committees that were exemplary in the world in child participation, Göktaş said that 41.209 children, 880 of whom were with disabilities and members of the committee, actively participated in child rights activities.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry established policies where children would be aware of their responsibilities as well as their rights, and in this context, the Ministry held the first Children's Council in April this year, and that the 24^th Children's Forum was an important stage in realizing this goal.

Pointing out that the number of " Çocuklar Güvende" teams reached 382, Göktaş said: "We visit schools with these teams and try to keep children away from the dangers encountered by them. We have closely monitored the content in which children may be harmed. In addition, we organize anti-digital bullying trainings. With the belief that everything protecting a person also protects the identity of the family and society, we have started the 'Children's Digital Privacy' studies with RTÜK."

Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry had not forgotten about orphans and said that the Ministry had provided social services and assistance to orphaned children, whose number reached 352.000 in Türkiye.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry personally visited 31.687 children and their families in the last two years and determined their needs on the spot, and continued as follows:

"We provide psychosocial support to foreign children who have been separated from their families. We are hosting these children who have been delivered from law enforcement units in the organizations under the supervision of expert teams. Within this scope, we have provided social adaptation services by reaching more than 385.000 foreign children living in the country. We have implemented important policies in all areas, especially education, care, rehabilitation, employment and accessibility for our brothers and sisters with disabilities. This year, the Ministry has allocated a budget of 72.3 billion TL for the Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Social Life and the Special Education Program with an increase of 71%. Since 2002, we have assigned 68.108 citizens with disabilities to the staff that is suitable for them. In February this year, we have carried out the appointments of 2.323 citizens with disabilities. On this occasion, I would like to share with you and the nation the good news that new appointments of public personnel with disabilities will be made in a short time."

 "We will implement the Long-Term Care Assurance System"

The Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş explained that the Ministry transfered resources to protected workplaces organizing their working environments according to the needs of persons with disabilities.

Drawing attention to the fact that citizens with disabilities prioritized their care at home in such a way as to preserve their family integrity, Göktaş shared the following information:

"We provide 5.097 TL home care allowance to their families per month. Today, 562.267 persons benefit from this service. In this context, the Ministry has paid 110.5 billion TL since 2006 to date. We provide services day and night in 107 Care and Rehabilitation Centers for 7.049 persons with disabilities needing special care. The Ministry serves the citizens with disabilities in 310 Special Care Centers, 136 Day Care and Rehabilitation Centers and 149 Hope Homes. In addition, we offer guest care services in boarding institutions to enable families with disabilities to devote time to themselves. We are carrying out activities aimed at protecting and strengthening the rights of persons with disabilities with the Monitoring and Evaluation Board on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Board held a technical workshop this year. In line with the results we have obtained from the workshop, we will implement the Long-Term Care Assurance System suitable for the conditions of the country."

Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry developed special policies keeping the participation of older persons in society at a high level. Göktaş explained that the Ministry allocated a budget of 8.5 billion TL to the Active and Healthy Ageing Program in 2024 with a 102 % increase rate and reminded that the Ministry had launched the Darülaceze Social Living City 10 days ago in this context.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry provided residential care services to 14.637 older persons in 168 nursing homes and stated that the Ministry provided care services to 13.312 older persons in 268 nursing homes operated by private organizations.

Stating that the Ministry provided essential care for older persons in their homes with the Elderly Support Program launched in 2016, Göktaş noted that the Ministry provided services to 128.148 older persons in 87.479 households with the program to which they allocated project-based resources to municipalities.

Paying 1.9 billion TL for public transportation in the city

Göktaş stated that the Ministry provided persons with disabilities and older persons to benefit from public transportation in the city for free of charge and said, "In this context, we have paid 1.9 billion TL since 2015. We have increased the pay per vehicle by more than 100% this year."

Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş stated that the Ministry conducted a Survey on the Profile of Older Persons with TURKSTAT and announced that the Ministry would share the preliminary results of the survey, which would determine the course of policies for older persons, with the public in March 2024.

Explaining that Göktaş further expanded the scope of the work carried out for older persons and persons with disabilities, Göktaş said, "Considering the importance and intensity of the services we provide in the new period, we will reorganize the field as two independent general directorates and make the work more specific."

Emphasizing that women always had a respected place in Turkish civilization, Göktaş pointed out that while the general employment rate increased by 12 %, women's employment was increased by 25 %.

Stating that the Ministry provided new job opportunities for women through İŞKUR trainings, KOSGEB and SME supports, Göktaş said that the Ministry would strengthen the socio-economic position of SME owners and artisan women entrepreneurs, ensuring that the Ministry would take more place in exports and make women entrepreneurship more widespread.

"We have ensured the establishment of 1.008 new women's cooperatives"

Minister of Family and Social Services Göktaş stated that the Ministry had ensured the establishment of 1.008 new women's cooperatives through the works carried out with the two ministries and noted that the Ministry provided consultancy and training services on product development and food safety to 7.114 women with the Project of Women's Empowerment Through Cooperatives.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry was conducting training and consultancy activities according to the needs of women in 11 provinces with Geleceğini Kuran Genç Kadınlar Projesi (Young Women Building Their Future Project) and said that the Ministry supported young women to reach job, internship, education and enterprise support all over Türkiye. Göktaş stated that with the Women-Male Equality Sensitive Planning and Budgeting Project in Türkiye, the aim was to reflect a perspective taking into account the different priorities and needs of women and men in all stages of planning and budgeting.

Emphasizing that it would never be legally, conscientiously or morally acceptable for women to be subjected to violence, Göktaş stated that the Ministry would continue to fight this issue with zero tolerance and great determination.

 "The Circular on Combating Violence Against Women will be published in a few days"

Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş stated that the Ministry increased the budget allocated to the Women's Empowerment Program by 165% for the year 2024 and said the following:

"In combating violence against women, we have a legal regulation that is unique in the world. We will share the 4^th National Action Plan to Combat Violence Against Women and the 2024 action plan with the public this weekend. With the 2^nd Women's Empowerment Strategy Paper and Action Plan, we will strengthen fundamental policies on education, health, economy, leadership and participation in decision-making mechanisms, environment and climate change. We will conduct the third of the Research on Domestic Violence against Women in Türkiye, which will be an important resource for the anti-violence policies, in the first half of 2024. I would like to express that the Circular on Combating Violence Against Women, which we have expanded taking into account the current conditions, will be published within a few days."

Stating that more than 4 million people received training from programs raising awareness about combating violence against women, Göktaş said that the Ministry provided services to 1.618.000 people since 2012 in Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (ŞÖNIM) in 81 provinces.

Göktaş, who announced that the Ministry would launch new ŞÖNIMS in Adana, Antalya, Bursa, Istanbul, Izmir, Konya and Şanlıurfa in 2024, continued as follows:

"While we had 11 women's guesthouses with a capacity of 283 in 2002, as of this year we are extending a helping hand to 3.650 women in 149 women's guesthouses, 112 of which are affiliated to the Ministry. We structure women's guest houses according to the risk situations and different needs of the victimized women and their accompanying children. In this direction, we have specialized 17 women's guesthouses in 15 provinces. We are effectively carrying out the emergency action plans in 28 provinces to prevent early and forced marriages. Therefore, we have reduced the proportion of girls married in the age groups of 16-17 by 73 % since 2002. We follow the legal processes of all kinds of violence, abuse and neglect cases against women, children and family members meticulously with 350 lawyers in 81 provinces, and we stand by the victims in these cases."

 "We have provided employment of 48.819 people to the relatives of the martyrs, veterans and relatives of veterans in the public sector"

Expressing that the Republic of Türkiye was the work of the heroism and sacrifices of martyrs and veterans, Göktaş said that it was also a duty of loyalty to take care of their relics.

Expressing that the Ministry supported the relatives of the martyrs and veterans in economic, social and cultural fields with this understanding, Göktaş said, "We have provided employment to 48.819 people who are relatives of the martyrs, veterans and relatives of veterans in the public sector. With the amendment made in April, we have ensured that the honor pensions of combat veterans are equalized regardless of whether they have social security or not. We have delivered a total of 226.367 free transportation cards to the relatives of the martyrs, veterans and relatives of veterans and persons with disabilities. We have awarded the National Struggle Medal to 30.929 Cypriot veterans. This year, we have provided 3.296 guidance and counseling services to the children of martyrs and veterans taking the exams in 81 provinces. We have helped them plan their careers."

Explaining that the Ministry continued to serve martyrs' relatives and veterans with the Turkish Martyrs' Relatives and Veterans Solidarity Foundation, Göktaş said: "We have transferred the conditional donations made for the martyrs' relatives and veterans who lost their lives on July 15, the Istanbul Beşiktaş attack and the Olive Branch Operation to their rightful owners in monthly payments. We have increased the amount of assistance from 2.600 TL to 4.000 TL. In the last 2 years, we have made additional payments during the holidays, on July 15, Democracy and National Unity Day."

Minister of Family and Social Services Göktaş said that the Ministry paid 569.9 million TL to the entitled martyrs' relatives and veterans so far, and that the Ministry fulfilled the collective payment requests of 2.863 martyrs' relatives and veterans at the beginning of November.

Paying July 15 monthly payments to 218 rights holders within the scope of the Solidarity Campaign with the 7.2 million TL in the foundation's accounts, Minister Göktaş noted that the Ministry continued to make monthly payments in line with their preferences.

Stating that 82% of the beneficiaries of social assistance were citizens who were unable to work, Göktaş said that the Ministry diversified social assistance according to changing needs groups and that 4.4 million households benefited from different items of social assistance as of 2022.

Noting that the Ministry opened 279 Family Support Centers (ADEM) and 61 Social Solidarity Centers (SODAM) this year to contribute to women's social, cultural, personal and professional development, Göktaş reported that the Ministry thus increased the number of ADEM to 610 and the number of SODAM to 108.

 "In 2023, we have increased the number of older persons and persons with disabilities being provided services to 126.040"

Göktaş, reminding that the Ministry extended the Turkish Family Support Program for another year, continued as follows:

"We have turned the personal care of  older persons and persons with disabilities, which started in 2010, into a national program last year. Thus, with the National Loyalty Program, the Ministry ensures that the essential needs of older persons and persons with disabilities are met regularly. In this context, we have increased the number of older persons and persons with disabilities to 126.40 in 2023, while serving 59.000 older persons and persons with disabilities in 2022. We provide job opportunities to the citizens who are able to work through IŞKUR. We pay the employer insurance premium for employed people for 12 months while receiving regular social assistance. We provide these people with assistance to start a job up to 10 % of the gross minimum wage and 4.471 TL for one time. In addition, we give priority to education, food and coal assistance, and we continue Education and Health Assistance for 12 months."

Underlining that Türkiye was one of the countries with the most comprehensive social support system in the world, Göktaş said: "In the budget of the Ministry for 2024, we have allocated 740 million for transportation free of charge support, 1.4 billion for the foster family program, 12.5 billion for the children of families in need, 32 billion for the Family Support Program, 56.2 billion for the home care of persons with disabilities, 64.1 billion for the relatives of the persons with disabilities and older persons, and 100.5 billion TL for citizens who cannot meet their health premium expenses."

Stating that the Ministry would simplify social assistance through strong digitalization steps, Göktaş announced that the Ministry had signed protocols with 19 civil society organizations and that they would hold a Training and Case Referral Workshop for the earthquake zone in the coming days.

Expressing that the Ministry continued to work on the rights of family, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons on international platforms, Göktaş noted that the Ministry increased the number of agreements to which they were a party to with the 5 international agreements siigned this year to 35.

 "We have conducted 1.883 international social work case studies in 76 countries."

Göktaş stated that the Ministry supported citizens and cognates in social issues and strengthened their ties with the country through their representations abroad, and that as of today, the Ministry conducted 1.883 international social service case studies in 76 countries.

Stating that the Ministry had improved the conditions of the staff working for additional courses a short while ago, Göktaş said that the Ministry was aware that the employees working in other fields also had expectations and that the Ministry would make every effort to meet their expectations by observing all the rights of the employees.

Göktaş reminded that this year the Ministry put 3 nursing homes, 4 children's home sites, one barrier-free living center, one women's guest house, one social service center and the provincial directorate into the service of the nation and stated that the Ministry would continue the construction and commissioning activities of 8 nursing homes, 4 barrier-free living centers, 4 children's home sites, one women's guest house, 5 social service centers and the provincial directorate with the budget for 2024.

Göktaş stated that the budget proposals for 2024 were 334.349.925 TL and that 28.4 billion TL were allocated for personnel expenses of the central and provincial units, 4.3 billion for social security expenses, 13.7 billion for the purchase of goods and services, 283.5 billion for current transfers, 4.1 billion for capital expenditures and 5.2 million for capital transfers.

"We have not tolerated the abuse of even a single child so far”

Göktaş answered the questions of the deputies after the 2024 budget negotiations of the Ministry and its affiliated organizations in the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission.

Stating that Türkiye was a country that came a long way in protecting the rights of the family, woman, child, older persons, persons with disabilities, relatives of martyrs and veterans and improving living standards, Göktaş said that Türkiye was mobilizing all its opportunities for 85 million citizens today.

Stating that today the Ministry undertook a massive transformation in every field in the region that was damaged by the February 6 earthquakes, Göktaş said that she herself frequently visited the earthquake zone and that she would meet with CSOs in Kahramanmaraş again on November 30.

Emphasizing that the fact that children under protection and care grew up with love was one of the issues that the Ministry showed the most sensitivity to, Göktaş answered some of the deputies' questions for children as follows:

"I have all the cases from A to Z with me. However, first of all, as a mother with children, a minister responsible for the rights and freedoms of children in Türkiye, minister of millions of children in Türkiye and minister of children staying in the institutions, protecting the privacy of children is an important duty of mine. We do not want children to be exposed to any information affecting them in the following years. We respect the right to be forgotten, which is one of the fundamental rights of the children. The well-being of the children comes first. We have not tolerated the abuse of even a single child so far. Frankly, who wishes for it? On the contrary, we intervene in every case, we follow the cases meticulously, we do not let the issues slide. We have no intention of quitting. Even if it is only a claim."

 "Adoption is a process that is both a great responsibility and has a legal and psychological dimension"

Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry provided digital literacy education to 11.600 children with peer-assisted learning techniques in order to increase children's ability to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital world and identify harmful content.

Göktaş, when asked by an MP about the slow process of adoption, said, "Adoption is a process that is both a great responsibility and has a legal and psychological dimension. It is a process that we think about in great detail and follow meticulously in line with the principle of the benefit of the child. As you entrust the families for the love and care of these children. Some of those children have already been abandoned, have a trauma, a story."

Göktaş stated that the provincial directorates, lawyers and psychologists followed the processes one-on-one, the necessary inspections were carried out, the documents provided by the families were checked and after this process was completed, the children were placed with their families without keeping them waiting, and that the provincial directorates would work on what could be done to speed up the process.

Göktaş shared the following answer to a question about children who were under protection and care and who left the organizations without permission:

"This issue is one of the studies we are particularly focused on. Children who are placed under protection may unfortunately show behavior of leaving the organization without permission for various reasons. We have set up a crisis desk for children who have left the organization without permission. We have started to study good examples and we are doing a psychological profile study on this issue. We will make arrangements in the processes according to the results of the study."

 "If you have any determinations about the victimization of women and children, let us talk it through"

Minister Göktaş stated that the Ministry continued to work to bring Palestinian orphans and unaccompanied minors to Türkiye and reminded that she sent a letter in October to the equivalent ministers of 187 countries and 41 representatives of international organizations calling for urgent action.

"The stance of Türkiye on the issue will be as clear a stance as we have shown to children in Ukraine," Göktaş stated, also stressing that the Ministry would continue to follow the process internationally.

Underlining that sensitivity towards children should have also been shown for women the same way, Göktaş continued her words as follows:

"Every case mentioned here means that women who are victims of violence become targets again and remember the violence they have been subjected to preventing them from merging with society. If you have any determinations about the victimization of women and children in any case, let us talk it through. Voice it out right now, whatever the problem is, let us solve it together. I will go directly to the case. I thank you for your sensitivity about children and women. As both a mother and a minister, I am personally obliged to go over the slightest claim on children, women and all issues related to the Ministry. I ask you, whoever has information, documents, to share them with us. One of my requests is to please stay away from approaches based on speculation and claims."

Göktaş stated that the violence suffered by women was a global issue and said, "The issue of violence against women is not one where it may be said 'eye for an eye'. Violence against women is an issue above politics. It is a matter of society, it is a matter of conscience. We have always approached this issue with this understanding. We have never tolerated this problem and we will never tolerate it in the future."

Göktaş explained that the Ministry protected everyone who were exposed to violence, even if they claimed to be exposed to violence, and shared the following information about the process:

"With the lawyers, we follow the legal process in all cases of violence. The position of Türkiye is very clear that the perpetrators of violence should receive the necessary punishment. It is impossible for me to accept criticism on this issue. Regarding the interpretation about the follow-up of cases, I would like to emphasize that the Ministry follows the cases with great care. I even follow it myself. Even if the victims have given up their complaints, the follow-up continues. Even in cases that no civil society organization is aware of, we are present both by law and conscience. We resort to the appeal method for all decisions that we find unfair."

 "There is a strong legal infrastructure for combating violence against women in Türkiye”

Minister Göktaş reminded that violence against women data was kept very clearly and regularly by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and said, "Even one case is one case too many for the Ministry. As someone who has defended the rights of women and children for many years, I will say it clearly. There is a strong legal infrastructure in Türkiye to combat violence against women. Ministries of Interior, Justice and Health, in coordination with the Security Organization, we take effective and rapid action in any case of violence."

Stating that the Ministry were currently providing services to women in 81 provinces with 82 Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (ŞÖNIM), 149 women's guest houses and 410 anti-violence contact points in every social service center, Göktaş pointed out that the facilities of women's guest houses were better than in other countries.

Emphasizing that it was necessary to fight all kinds of violence, including psychological violence, Göktaş shared the following:

"There are specialized guest houses. Women have easy access to these guest houses. They can stay with their children, and they do not suffer any loss of rights because they have left their homes. Specialization of women's guest houses is being carried out for more effective and efficient service provision of women's guest houses, which provide services to different groups of people with different needs. Within this scope, 17 women's guest houses in 15 provinces have been specialized according to high life safety and special needs areas. The women's guest house is specialized according to high life safety and special needs areas. Ensuring the confidentiality of women's guest houses is really a very important issue."

Göktaş, an MP's proposal to increase the number of women's guest houses, "Do you know the occupancy rate of guest houses? Currently, the occupancy rate of the women's guesthouses is 75 %. I wish the rate of violence would be zero and the guesthouses would be empty."

Göktaş stated that increasing women's employment and participation in the labor force was always a priority, and said that while the overall employment rate increased by 12 %, the Ministry increased women's employment by 25 %.

Göktaş stated that the Ministry never considered this sufficient and therefore implemented important regulations in order to protect women's employment and encourage women's participation in the workforce.

Göktaş stated that she attached great importance to the dissemination of the partial and flexible working model for women and said, "We will make Turkish women even stronger in all areas, especially economy, social, health and education, with the new studies the Ministry will initiate."

Referring to the fact that an MP described the women's guest houses as a "shelter", Göktaş said, "I am really very sorry. How can we talk about a women's guest house as a shelter? This hurts women. Women do not take refuge in guest houses. We are hosting them."

 "We will continue to defend women's rights"

Pointing out that the importance given to women should not have been limited to November 25 and March 8, Göktaş said, "We plan all kinds of activities that need to be conducted for women not by a one-day march, but by considering the women's every day, every moment, every state, and we put them into practice quickly. We will always be in the fields. We will also continue to constantly defend women's rights."

Reminding that some MPs criticized that "There is no woman's name in the budget", Göktaş continued her words as follows:

"We carry out planning and budgeting activities sensitive to gender equality with an understanding that takes into account the different priorities and needs of women and men. We aim to create a model that will systematically and sustainably develop planning and budgeting sensitive to gender equality in the country. I will personally follow this up. Within the scope of the project, we have carried out seminars for public administrators and technical and detailed training programs for public officials so far. With the action plan, we have prepared a roadmap for the relevant institutions by applying a gender equality analysis to 4 sub-programs included in the central government budget. Now we are doing the same work in 4 pilot municipalities. We have managed to increase the number of indicators related to women's empowerment to 59 in the programs and sub-programs included in the central government budget."

Stating that Türkiye was among the 23 countries implementing budgeting sensitive to gender equality across the OECD, Göktaş said that the Ministry would continue the work on this issue decently and diligently in the coming period.

Pointing out that Türkiye had a legal regulation in combatting violence against women that was unique in the world, Göktaş said, "Some countries have conventions. Conventions do not save human life, laws save it. It is the laws that protect people. If you do not have a law, if you can not implement it, the convention will not work as expected and will only be a slogan. Will chanting slogans be enough to solve issues? As the Minister responsible for women and children, I will never take part in any regulation or practice that victimizes women and children today and tomorrow, as I did yesterday. If there are things that are not going well, we will follow it up, we will take the road to arrenge it."

Referring to the fact that an MP made criticisms over a photo belonging to the earthquake zone, Göktaş said, "I never accept the creation of a negative perception over a single photo. This is a violation of the rights of colleagues who have been working in the field day and night, summer or winter, working in the cold and making great sacrifices. As a government, no matter where a disaster occurs, we are quickly transmitting all the opportunities to the citizens affected by the earthquake. In the same way, we have urgently transferred the allowances to citizens affected by the Kahramanmaraş-based earthquakes in order to meet urgent and fundamental needs. Therefore, we have transferred 1.85 billion TL of resources."

To a deputy's question about how many employees the Ministry had in the field in the earthquake zone, Göktaş said, "We were on the field 24/7 with disaster emergency social assistance team of 1300 people and psychosocial team of 17 477 people. We are still actively continuing the work in the field together with all the teams and we continue to support the citizens."

Stating that "the claim that 2.500 children in the earthquake zone were buried without a DNA sample", Göktaş said, "In such cases, we must fight disinformation together."

Following Minister Göktaş's speech, the 2024 budget of the Ministry of Family and Social Services was adopted.