"Women are Empowered by Participating Production" project, supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, was designed to contact women living in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Hakkari. The project was implemented between December 1, 2013 and March 1, 2014.
Five hundred women were visited at their homes, at their own environment, and the local language was used. Women contacted during these visits determined the topics of the meetings according to their need. The aim of these house visits was to raise the awareness of women on social gender roles and on early marriages. Early marriages are common in these neighbourhoods. Therefore, it was very crucial to talk to these women on their constitutional and civil rights to prevent early marriages. As a result of these house visits, statistics on their statues were generated.
Two neighbourhood meetings were done. At these neighborhood meetings, women had the opportunity to meet some public officers. Directorate of Family and Social Policies and related lawyers of the Hakkari Bar Association also participated in these neighbourhood meetings. They shared with women about the opportunities women could use when they face violence. The lawyers informed women about women's human rights and children's rights. KAMER Hakkari representatives talked about the activities and services they offer for women. Beside these, KAMER representatives also informed women about the opportunity to attend a ceramic course in order to create employment and income for women.
Fifteen of these 500 women contacted participated in the ceramic course for a month. During these courses, women improved their skills and they got draw outside of their homes. In addition, these women were offered an awareness group workshop. With the help of awareness workshops, women were informed on the consequences of early marriages and about the importance of changing their traditional statues.
On the last day of the project, on the 28th of February, a Children's festival was organized. Five hundred children between the 6-13 ages attended the children's festival. During the festival, there were ateliers for children like dance atelier, painting atelier, colour-print, face-painting atelier, clay-playing atelier, and some other free painting activities.
Pictures from the Activities of the Project
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