In Turkey, unlike in most highly industrialized societies, the family has a significant welfare role; it provides transfers to individuals in case of need and is the main source of welfare because the state and other institutions do not work properly. Welfare of individuals relates to welfare of the family resource pool in coping with poverty (Kalaycioğlu 2003) and women play the most significant role in both management of the family resources and utilization of kinship networks. Mutual solidari…