SADA Women Development and Solidarity Centre Completes Seminars

Aiming to increase the knowledge of women beneficiaries on such core matters of working life as the working life, labour laws, and rights of working women, gender equality at work, occupational safety and health in Turkey, the seminars were attended by a total 82 women beneficiaries of 41 Syrian, 2 Afghan and 39 Turkish nationality from packaging, computer operating and hair-dressing courses. Aiming to facilitate and promote the entry of women beneficiaries of the Project into labour markets, the seminars are organised on seven topics every two months with the participation of representatives from specialised agencies.

Work Permits

At the seminar on 9 September 2019 with the participation of expert Mr. Fatih Volkan Yamaner from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, the participants were informed on the legal procedures for the access to labour markets by foreigners granted Temporary Protection and International Protection; and then, answers were given to the questions from the women beneficiaries relating to the problems in entering the world of work. Information was provided to the participants on the current work of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, and questions were answered on work permits.

Social Security Rights

At the seminar on 10 September 2019 with the participation of Mr. Mehmet Aliko, a Social Security Inspector from Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of Social Security, information was provided on the status of insuredness of foreigners achieved upon obtaining the work permit. Further information was provided on the rights of insuredness including particularly women’s rights in the social security system in terms of pregnancy, birth-maternity, and marriage. Information was also provided on such helplines as Açık Kapı (Open Door), ALO 170 and Beyaz Masa (White Desk).
ISKUR Active Labour Market Programmes

At the seminar on 11 September 2019 with the participation a job and vocational counsellor from Gaziantep ISKUR, information was provided to women beneficiaries of the Project on ISKUR’s mandate and activities, courses and events offered, ISKUR’s current projects, active and passive labour market programmes, eligibility for benefiting from such projects, as well as how they could access Gaziantep ISKUR over the map. Participants were also shown, using real participant information, how to register at ISKUR online system; then 76 women beneficiaries were registered at ISKUR who wanted to participate in the world of work; thus, their job-seeking process was officially commenced.

Gender Equality at Work

At the seminar on 12 September 2019 with the participation of psychologist Ms. Zehra Tosun, participants were first asked what aspects of themselves they liked most, areas of interest, strengths, and whether they wished to participate in working life. The concept of gender, evolution of gender roles, gender-based division of work, gender-based discrimination, gender equality at work, violence against women, economic violence against women, education for girls, child marriages, their interrelation with the world of work were discussed, and the importance of solidarity among women was highlighted, then the seminar concluded.

Cooperativism in Turkey

At the seminar on 13 September 2019 with the participation of Ms. Melike Davaslı Okçu, an expert from the Ministry of Trade, and attended by a total 55 women of 40 Syrian, 2 Afghan and 13 Turkish nationality, participants were informed on cooperatives’ areas of activities, establishment procedures, working principles as well as about some of the leading women’s cooperatives. It was also emphasised that cooperativism was easier than competing alone in the market, and had advantages of acting together. Short videos were watched on the work of women’s cooperatives in Turkey, then the seminar concluded with a question & answer session. Following the seminar, Ms. Okçu visited the stand of SADA Women’s Cooperative at Gastrofest and obtained information on the Cooperative’s work.

Occupational Safety and Health

At the seminar on 16 September 2019 with the participation of Ms. Burcu Ünal, an expert of occupational safety and health, information was provided on the obligations and rights of workers and employers under the laws including particularly in the legislation on OSH and Labour Law, Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), culture of safety, risk assessment, work accidents and occupational diseases, signs of safety and health and ergonomics. NAPO’s video of “NAPO in Best Signs Story” on signs of safety and health was shown to the participants to inform them on potential occupational risks specific to their training and occupation (e.g. chemical risks for manual shoe assemblers, ergonomic risks for computer operators etc.). Further information was provided to participants on what must be done and which agencies must be contacted in case of work accidents; then the seminar concluded with a question & answer session on OSH problems faced by participants and families.

Role Models

The role models seminar, aiming to bring together successful business women in working life with the Project’s beneficiaries, was held on 17 September 2019 hosted Ms. Ayşe Teymur, a councillor in Gaziantep Metropolitan Council. Mother of two, Ms. Teymur also works as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors of Teymur Otomotiv. In her narrative to the participants, Ms. Teymur underlined the self-confidence and change both for herself and her family through her participation as a woman in the decision-mechanisms in her journey from business life to councillorship and membership in Citizen’s Assembly. Based on her experience, she also shared with the participants the benefits accruing to social development on account of women actively participating in local governments.