Support to Life supports women about their rights

The humanitarian organization Support to Life, that conducts activities since 2005 to provide communities with access to basic human rights and needs, has developed the training module “I am woman, I have rights” under the Project for strengthening women’s access to justice. Trainings started in in May and are still running. Women from 8 cities of Turkey, 48 volunteers, and representatives of public institutions and CSO’s have benefited from the training. Participants are now explaining to women in the provinces they live in about their rights and so far they have reached to 474 women in rural areas around Turkey. The Project is supported under the EU-funded UN Women programme on ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds.  

The goal of the Project for Strengthening Women’s Access to Justice, Rights and Services is to explain that law and legal mechanisms are not disconnected from women’s lives. “The rights we have are actually our lives,” says the Project Manager Müge Yamanyılmaz, “Law No. 6284 (Law to Protect Family and Prevent Violence against Women) and the support mechanisms that are set forth by the law provide an opportunity of a tangible change. Laws and executions are not away from women. On the contrary, these are the tools that respond to our daily needs and affect our lives.”

Observing that there is a difference between theory and practice regarding women’s access to the rights and freedoms, Support to Life has developed a series of training modules to eliminate this difference. A total of 48 women, including the refugee women, representatives of public institutions and CSO’s and Support To Life volunteers from 8 cities received training over 20 hours on women’s human rights, civil rights, economic rights, rights to protection against violence, rights to health care and sexual and reproductive health rights. Participants are now sharing the knowledge, skills and experiences they obtained from the trainings with other women in the provinces they live in. So far they have reached to total of 474 women in rural areas around Turkey.

Support to Life Project Manager Müge Yamanyılmaz points out the importance of sharing the knowledge and experience of women with other women everywhere and says, “Women show each other that their lives can be changed. Sharing strengthens solidarity.” 

Ümran Karakoyun, Support to Life Volunteer from Mersin, says, “Now it is much more possible for women who have access to knowledge about their rights to make their own choices and decisions about their lives.” Ümran tells story of woman who attended her workshop: “A woman was very determined to send her child to school and stand against early and forced marriages. She shared her story with other participants. This has moved me a lot. Through this project, we have created a determination and belief that the lives of women and girls can be changed and gender equality can be achieved.”

Pervin Eviz, Support to Life, Batman Branch Outreach Officer, also draws attention to the importance of giving the message to women, “you are not alone, we are together”. “One of the participants asked if her neignbor could attend the workshops. She thinks that all women should be informed about their rights. Maybe you don’t need this knowledge, but your neighbour may need it. This is one of the example how we are empowered together,” says Pervin Eviz.

Tuğba Kılıçkaya from Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Directorate of Urban Justice and Equality emphasizes that cooperation between the institutions is essential for women’s access to justice and she says, “I attended this training, because I felt responsibility for the marginalized women in the society. While we say that women will not walk alone, entities should also not be alone in the world where we try to progress in the path of empowering women.”

Irmak İnan Çınar, UN Women Programme Analyst, says, “Under our regional programme implemented in Western Balkans and Turkey, we join our forces with civil society organizations and work together to fight against violence against women. Through our cooperation with Support to Life, we support development of a sustainable flow of information on women’s access to the rights by strengthening the institutions and individuals.”

Support to Life also shares the works developed under the Project on its website. Informative videos in Turkish and Arabic, Facilitator’s Guide and presentations that can be used as training materials are available on the organization’s website and YouTube channel so that institutions that work with women and need such materials can reach them.