CATOM: a model for empowering women in Southeastern Anatolia.(multi-purpose community centers)

Abstract

Since 1991 the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry, Southeastern Anatolia Project Regional Development Administration (GAP-RDA) has identified and started a project to improve the status of women in the GAP Region. In the framework of this project, the Multi-Purpose Community Centers (CATOMs) provide training programs for women and young girls in literacy, health and family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, home economy and income-generating activities. They also provide social and culture activities which have been organized, and established in squatter settlement and central villages since 1995.

A participatory, holistic and integrated approach is the basic policy of all CATOMs. The contexts of the basic activities carried out in the center are determined by the participation of the target groups and, their participation and contribution are essential in the applications. In this paper, the process of project implementation and the outcomes of the project are presented.

Keywords: CATOM, Turkey, woman, Southern Anatolia, development.

1. Introduction

Women were excluded from development plans, programs and projects until the 1970s. It has long been known that women bear equal or even more burden and responsibility in all spheres of family and community life--though it may change depending on the cultural structures and levels of development of different countries. Still, women who cannot reap as much benefit as men from development form the majority in the poorest segment of the world's poor. Developments projects that do not cover women simply ignore half the world's population and thus contribute little to efforts for mitigating poverty and ensuring social justice.

Since 1970s and with deepening poverty in developing countries, the relevance and effectiveness of traditional developmental strategies received many challenges. "The essence of 'women in development' approach is to investigate what women want and do in a given community and to provide means and resources to ensure their participation." (Kardam, 1991). In the 1980s when equalitarian policies shaped project approaches, struggles in the field of 'women in development' and in others as well, influenced projects, plans as an implementation. This approach moved on from the assumption that gender inequality, identified as the basic problem, derives from both gender structure within family and also from the nature of the relationship established with the market in the process of development. In this context, equalitarian approaches to development aim to create institutions and to begin processes that reinforce women's freedom in order to take an active part in social life and to strengthen their initiatives in this regard (Erturk, 1995). Within the framework of these world changes, the role and function of women in development are defined by the gender-balanced approach as those of active social-individuals rather than those of an isolated and disadvantaged group.