Using Government Resources to Institute Women's Human Rights Education

Sustaining Human Rights Education

Women’s rights have been protected under Turkish law since the beginning of the republic. Yet, WWHR—New Ways felt that the majority of Turkish women didn’t know they had rights. Women were under the control of traditional practices carried out by the men in their lives. The organization noticed that many Turkish women experienced discrimination and abuse. This discrimination takes place in areas of life such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and work.

WWHR—New Ways decided to put in place a human rights education program. They believed that this education among women would help them claim their rights. But the group knew that the program would have to be sustained. It would need promotion in a more institutionalized way. Only then would it have a significant impact on women’s lives. For this, they needed more funding and resources than they had available. The organization chose to reach out to the Turkish government to get those resources.

Building Collaboration

WWHR—New Ways built their collaboration with the Turkish government through the General Directorate of Social Services. This government body has a network of community centers throughout Turkey. WWHR—New Ways was initially hesitant. State-NGO partnerships are uncommon. But the organization found that the community centers are set up in primarily disadvantaged areas. They have a horizontal, rather than top-down, model of administration. They respond to community needs. These characteristics made them a very appropriate setting for the human rights education program.

A number of factors were important in creating and sustaining the partnership:

A record of success from pilot programs. The creation of the collaboration was helped by the fact that pilot programs of the human rights education program had been very successful. The government knew they were partnering with a trustworthy organization.

A signed protocol with terms of collaboration. To solidify the partnership, WWHR—New Ways and the General Directorate signed a protocol. This protocol stated the terms of the collaboration. This protocol gave the organization comprehensive permission to carry out their program without any change to the curriculum within the community centers. This made it easier to broaden the initiative.

Sustaining Collaboration

As the program has continued, WWHR—New Ways staff worked to maintain a close and positive relationship with the General Directorate of Social Services. At times there were changes in directorate staff. There were also new social workers appointed to key community center positions. The people who initially supported the collaboration were no longer in the government. In order to sustain the partnership, WWHR—New Ways had to establish and continue open communication with newly appointed directors.

Partnering with a government agency made it possible to significantly broaden the scope of the human rights education program. The organization is primarily responsible for the financial cost, implementation and monitoring of the program. Some physical and financial resources are contributed by the state. This is due to the program’s presence in the state-run community centers. Social workers are trained in the human rights program curriculum and methodology. This is part of their job description. It is part of the signed protocol. This makes the creation and implementation of new programs easier.

The human rights education program has been very successful. As of 2004, almost ten years after it was founded, it has been implemented in 30 Turkish provinces. Over 45 community centers have been engaged. The program reached more than 4,000 women. Approximately 115 social workers and many other volunteers have been trained in the program methodology. Social workers are often overwhelmed by their workloads. Volunteer trainers have been instrumental in helping the social workers. WWHR—New Ways provides on-going consultation and support to the trained social workers. This consultation is through letters, phone calls and site visits.

What we can learn from this Tactic:

Partnering with a government agency can help organizations create sustainable programs by providing stable resources, but it’s not always an option. Political climates and government attitudes must be considered, as approaching the government could be risky or unfeasible in some countries. Even when partnerships are possible, organizations must remain cautious, as government policies or key personnel can change. WWHR—New Ways suggests approaching agencies with a proven program rather than new ideas and emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong relationships with officials. This tactic can be valuable for advancing human rights causes, but success depends on the organization's goals and the government's stance.