SOCIAL MUNICIPALISM AND SOCIAL BUDGET PRACTICES IN TURKEY: THE EXAMPLE OF ANTALYA METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

The rapid population growth experienced today, technological developments and the globalization it brings along cause differences and increases in the needs of citizens. Citizens whose needs increase and diversify apply to public institutions in order to meet them. Municipalities come to the forefront in this regard due to their characteristic of being the closest public institution to individuals at the local level. All of the expenditures made by municipalities in the social field are evaluated with the social budget. In the study prepared in this direction, the activity and performance reports of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality were examined and its situation in the last 6 years was evaluated within the scope of the social budget concept. As a result of the study, it was determined that ABB provides many services for the disabled and elderly, these services mostly consist of services for health-related problems, and ABB carries out effective studies especially for disabled individuals. Again, within the scope of the study, it was suggested that although the services for the poor are comprehensive and diverse, the activities in question meet the needs of poor citizens in the short term and that the services provided by ABB should be diversified in order to minimize regional poverty and injustice in income distribution. When the services for children-youth-women are examined; the abundance of scope and diversity of services for children and youth draws attention. The existence of services for all ages and needs for children and youth demonstrates the importance that ABB attaches to work within the scope of the social budget. However, when the work for women is examined, it is concluded that, unlike the services for children and youth, the social services provided for women are insufficient in terms of number and content. For this reason, it is recommended that ABB increase both the number and scope of services for women.