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COPYRIGHT 2002 Eastern Mediterranean University
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.
Today, the heading "Women and Development" covers the role of women in the process of production, their participation in the labor force, their access to modern institutions (i.e. extension, education and training, credit, health services, social protection, etc.) and the increase in their control over daily life. All this implies a Full ranges of participation in the development process. Mostly, in an agricultural dependent economy, gender balanced approaches in rural development gain importance and such approaches are regarded as a critical factor determining the success of relevant interventions. Consequently, women are considered as a "special target group" or "stakeholders" in the preparation and implementation of development programs related to human development. In the first stage, there were various surveys made in the region to discover the opinions, tendencies, problems and modes of social relationships of women. The findings of these surveys were then used to develop a model to make women agents in the development process. The outcome or model is the MULTI-PURPOSE COMMUNITY CENTER (CATOM).
2. Materials and Method
A "Social Impact Assessment" work was conducted so as to cover 8 CATOMs, 6 of which were in provincial centers; one at a district center and the other in a village. The purpose of this work is to assess the relevance of programs carried out by CATOMs, examine their approaches and methods, identify the positive and negative effects of CATOM activities on various parties (i.e. individuals, families, communities, governmental agencies and civil society organizations) and to collect significant data and information for the work programs for the coming years. The content of this paper is related to the CATOM active in Seyitler Neighborhood of the Batman province.
Participatory rapid assessment technique was used in this work. Focus group meetings as well as face-to-face and chain interviews covered various groups including persons and groups directly or indirectly affected by the project (i.e. present participants of the CATOM, earlier participants-those who have completed their programs in the CATOM-families of participants, priests, teachers, shopkeepers, young men, village or neighborhood headmen, CATOM field staff, provincial and district governors and directors (of education, health, agriculture and social services)
Answers to the following questions were sought in this work:
1. To what degree are CATOM practices a response to the expectations and priorities of the target group?
2. In which programs were the target group most interested?
3. Did these programs bring out specific changes in behavior and attitudes in participants and in other family and community members?
4. To what extent were things learned in the CATOM and practically used in daily life?
5. What kinds of impacts does/did the presence of the CATOM make on participants, trainers, the community in general, service units and government agencies?
6. Did local demand for public services increase in places where CATOMs were active? Did other organizations start to take CATOM as a model?
7. In the launching and implementation of CATOM programs, was due consideration paid to the priorities of the target group and available human resources?
8. Did various groups sufficiently take part and show interest in the planning of programs and decision-making?
9. Is the management and organization of the CATOM as efficient as expected?
10. To what extent and in which areas was governmental support realized?
During meetings and interviews utmost attention was paid not to influence participants or respondents in order to be as impartial as possible and to reach an objective assessment.
3. Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP)
As a project, the genesis of the GAP has its roots in the feasibility studies of the 1960s conducted by the DSI (State Hydraulic Works) to develop water resources in the basins of the Euphrates and the Tigris. In the 1970s these studies were then merged as a single water resources development project under the name of GAP. As such, the project envisaged 7 sub-projects in the Euphrates basin and 6 in the Tigris basin; construction of 22 dams and 19 hydraulic power plants and the introduction of irrigation systems over 1.7 million hectares of land. The DPT (State Planning Organization) drafted the GAP Master Plan in 1989, which transformed the project, beyond the confines of mere water resources development, into a multi-sector and integrated regional development endeavor. After this, the project envisaged coordinated investments in such sectors as education, health, communication, transportation, industry etc. and proposed the establishment of a regional development administration to be in charge of planning, coordinating and monitoring of the project. Consequently, the GAP Regional Development organization was established in 1989 upon the Government Decree no. 388 in force of law to serve under the Office of the Prime Ministry.
Until recently many thought of dams and irrigation facilities when any mention of GAP was made. It was only after the drafting of the GAP Master Plan that the project assumed...
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