Women-Friendly Cities: Mersin Metropolitan Municipality
- 4 days ago
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The 3rd phase of the Women-Friendly Cities Programme, involving 25 provincial municipalities from all 7 regions of Türkiye, is moving forward at full speed. As part of this three-year programme, which includes Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, provincial municipalities and local civil society organizations are working together to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality in all areas, in line with local needs and dynamics.
Mersin, Türkiye - Under the coordination of the Directorate for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the financial support of the European Union, in partnership with the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, and implemented by United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, the third phase of the Women-Friendly Cities Programme, continues with the participation of 25 municipalities from 7 regions of Türkiye. Mersin is one of them.
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality continues its efforts to improve women's lives in every field and to ensure gender equality in the city. Having prepared and implemented its Local Equality Action Plan in 2019, the Municipality identifies the needs of women in the region on the field and develops joint projects with civil society organizations. In this context, while carrying out special initiatives particularly for women and children, Mersin also prioritize activities to prevent abuse.
In this scope, the Municipality provides crucial support through the Women's Counseling Center, established at the intercity bus terminal. This terminal serves as one of the most critical transition points for women, subjected to violence. In addition to the psychological and legal guidance provision to women arriving at the terminal, the center also offers information on support mechanisms including social assistance and referrals to women's shelters.
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality believes that ensuring gender equality and preventing violence against women should not be limited to women-focused efforts alone. Accordingly, in order to foster social transformation, the municipality conducts innovative initiatives to research and increase men's awareness on violence and inequality, making male engagement an effective part of the process.
On the other hand, the municipality carries out many projects to increase women's employment and economic empowerment. They especially supports women through the “Evimiz Atölye” (Our Home, Our Factory ) project which also provides free crafters’ stands to women, which enable them to turn their hobbies into a profession and a source of income. Zeynep, one of those women, states that she could not work actively as she isa cancer patient, but thanks to this project, she can sell the products she produces at home. She says:”In this way, I can both socialize and contribute to the family budget so that I can support my daughter's education financially.
The vocational courses offered by the municipality also play a major role in the economic empowerment of women. Female participation is prioritized in vocational courses, including welding and carpentry, which are traditionally perceived as "men's jobs." Gül Kadem Maya, Director of MERCEK Vocational Training Center, underlines that 95% of the women who graduated from the center have been successfully employed.
Kübra, a 28-year-old mother of one and a trainee in the Welding course says: “I enrolled in this course to get a profession. Once a woman says 'I can do it,' there is nothing she cannot achieve.”
In addition to economic empowerment, women's social empowerment is also among the priorities of the municipality. While supporting women with visual impairments to integrate into social life, and organizing special activities for women with disabilities, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality also helps women safely socialize and freely experience the city through the women's cycling groups and cultural trips it has established.
Şerife Hasoğlu Dokucu, the Head of Women and Family Services Department at Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, says: “With the Women-Friendly Cities Programme, we aim for a beautiful city where women are happy, peaceful, do not suffer from economic deprivation, or live under pressure.”
Implemented by UNFPA Türkiye under the coordination of the Directorate for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the financial support of the European Union and in partnership with the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, the Women-Friendly Cities Programme will run until the end of 2027.The programme aims to ensure that progress in women's empowerment and gender equality begins at the local level and to scale up effective and sustainable good practices across Türkiye through the strong partnerships of 25 provincial municipalities and more than 200 civil society organizations.
