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News from the Field: Empowerment of Women Citizens in Turkey

Achieving the Millennium Development Goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment is a demanding task for Turkey. In the Marmara region, UNDEF supports a project to raise awareness of women’s citizenship rights, to increase their participation and representation in Turkey’s decision making-process and political life.

Run by the Association for the Training and Education of Women’s Candidates, KA-DER, with the help of the national network of Civil Society Development Center Association, the project brought together women from NGOs for the first milestone event in May. Five days of workshops addressed concepts such as gender equality, democracy, governance and rights, as well as communication, conflict resolution, self-confidence and advocacy. Each topic was given differentiated and parallel perspectives introduced by the UN, Government and civil society. The trainees were given materials to conduct similar programs at the local level.

Participants found the programme empowering and fulfilling. “Having an open space platform gave a way for all of us to express ourselves,” one said. “This brought for us a culture of active listening and understanding of one another which leads to further cooperation.” KA-DER is working towards the goal of holding workshops throughout the Marmara region to train more than 300 women.

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