COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND PEOPLE UNDER RISK PROJECT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED

Violence against women is a worldwide yet still hidden problem. With this perspective IBC has developed and successfully implemented the Project of Combating Violence Against Women and People Under Risk in Gaziosmanpaşa and Sultanbeyli Counties .

Project Location : İstanbul, Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli Counties

Project Duration : 12 months (01.02.2014 – 31.01.2015)

Background Information :

Violence against women and girls is a grave violation of human rights. Its impact ranges from immediate to long-term multiple physical, sexual and mental consequences for women and girls, including death. It negatively affects women’s general well-being and prevents women from fully participating in society. Violence not only has negative consequences for women but also their families, the community and the country as a whole. According to a report prepared by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy has revealed that four out of 10 women in Turkey have been exposed to physical or sexual violence at the hands of a family member.

Project Summary :

Project of “Combating Violence Against Women and People Under Risk in Gaziosmanpaşa and Sultanbeyli Counties” was implemented and completed successfully by International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation (IBC) under Strengthening Capacity of National and Local NGOs on Combating Violence Against Women Grants Program that aimed to strengthen the services provided by Ministry of Family and Social Policies to prevent violence against women which was funded by European Union and contracted with Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU).

The aim of the main program was to contribute to the interference addressed by Turkish Government in order to protect women’s human rights. Special purpose was to assure services developed to protect women from violence and domestic violence proficiently in 26 cities. While the first constituent of the program was to ensure proficient protection of women from domestic violence and violence in 26 counties; the second one was to increase collaboration with central and local governmental organizations and empower the mechanisms combating to stop violence against women.

Project Goal :

• The Project was implemented in Istanbul, Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli Counties, in order to establish and support new local women’s partnerships and networks, by organizing capacity building trainings and activities, to create systems of sustainable and functioning local, regional, national and international NGOs and Community Based Organizations networks working in the field of violence against women and by strengthening collaboration between Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli Municipality Local Women Branches and NGO networks at all levels.

• The project also aimed to improve legal services for victims of violence as well as to raise awareness in society. In the capacity building and establishing new partnerships of local women NGOs, our target was to work with Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli Municipalities Woman Branches and other existing Local Women NGOs in the Counties.

Implemented Activities :

This project was implemented in 12 months period, between 01.02.2014 – 31.01.2015 in the shantytowns and also in urban settlements of Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli County by IBC.

In the improvement of legal services for the victims of violence, the foreground target groups were women and their families, in those Counties where access to social services, education, health and law services were limited.

Within the project “Capacity Building Trainings” for Local Women NGOs and Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli Municipalities' Local Women Branch members was organized, a small grant project was developed accordingly Counties’ current needs on social aspects especially for the disadvantaged groups such who were exposed to violence.

Moreover, by improving services for victims of violence, organizing trainings and designing educational packages were utilized in women counseling services in 2 counties. By implementing such a project in 2 counties with the support of municipalities, the collaboration and partnerships between Gaziosmanpasa Women Branch, Sultanbeyli Women Branch and Local Authorities in dealing with the issue of violence against women, in establishment and improvement of counseling services for victims of violence was improved.

Awareness raising was another main topic of the project that was realized through TV and radio programs and distributions of project publications.

Project Beneficiaries :

Prioritized target groups were women and their families who live in in the shantytowns and urban settlements Gaziosmanpaşa and Sultanbeyli Counties, in this respect 1015 women, 683 men beneficiaries, Local Woman Networks, NGOs, existing Community Based Organizations within the target Counties, Gaziosmanpaşa and Sultanbeyli Municipal Woman Branches, Local authorities deal with woman and social services, local legal services, policy makers at national and local level. It was achieved to reach 1698 beneficiaries directly benefiting from the project outcomes effectively in the end of the project .

We would like to thank to our managers, project stakeholders, beneficiaries who supported us in the process of project implementation, showed us the way to reach our beneficiaries and the hospitality that we encountered in Gaziosmanpasa and Sultanbeyli.

For more information:
Nalan ÜKER
Program Director
[email protected]