Issue: 74
Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Ionians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans, to name a few, represent a rich succession of heritage who, in their exciting temporal journey, embellished Anatolia’s rich geography and varied climate with their footprints throughout the flow of centuries.
A few other areas in the world have witnessed such a rich succession of civilizations and possessed such an immense treasure of tangible and intangible culture.
Presently, approximately 60.000 monumental buildings, 75.000 pieces of cultural heritage, 8200 protected sites and 2.8 million movable items of heritage are registered in Turkey.
The bewitchingly beautiful spectacles of the natural wonders and diversity of eco and bio-systems further add to the wealth and richness of this cultural heritage.
Many of these figure prominently on the World Heritage List.
The country attracted more than 28.6 million international tourists in 2010 and fetched $20.8 billion dollars of tourism revenues.
Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean Sea coasts.
Popular Destination
In the recent years, Turkey has also become a popular destination for culture, spa, and health care tourism.
There is however need to fully harness its enormous tourism potential on a sustainable basis; to safeguard cultural heritage, create green jobs and embark on inclusive environmentally friendly growth through wide variety of products that can satisfy the demand of different market segments.
To achieve sustainable tourism, economic, environmental, social and cultural dimensions have to be fully and inextricably integrated.
Likewise, dedicated resources, unswerving political leadership and strong partnerships among all stakeholders will be required to promote sustainable tourism.
We have met in a Sustainable Tourism Conference in late January which is intended to contribute to advancing the ongoing dialogue on the sustainability aspects of tourism within the ambit of the Spanish MDG Achievement Funded UN Joint Programme “Alliances for Culture Tourism in Eastern Anatolia”.
An important example
Turkish Government now commits to fully harness the huge tourism potential in the country.
I would like to mention the United Nations Joint Programme “Alliances for Culture Tourism in Eastern Anatolia” in this respect.
Some of the salient achievements of this programme include: training and capacity enhancement; income generation and job creation; safeguarding and mapping intangible and tangible cultural heritage; developing tourism strategies; and enhancing children’s awareness of the unique and precious cultural assets of Kars.
I think the contribution which the UN Joint Programme has made in Kars over three years of its implementation is an important example on this road towards “sustainable tourism”.
* Shahid Najam, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkey and UN Resident Coordinator in Turkey
Member countries of the United Nations will make presentations that would be examples for green economy and sustainable development at Rio+20 Summit which will be held in Brazil between June 20-22.
United Nations Sustainable Development Commission expects these samples to support the idea of green economy and to sustain economic, social and environmental development.
The preparation of Turkey to Rio+20 Summit is conducted by the Ministry of Development. UNDP is supporting the Ministry with its technical assistance.
The guide for best applications can be reached here.
Local meetings before Rio+20
As Turkey prepares for Rio+20, regional meetings have been organized in different cities.
The following meetings will be held at Antakya, Gaziantep and Samsun respectively.
The latest national developments in Turkey’s preparation for Rio+20 can be followed from this address.
On the other hand, zero draft of the Rio+20 outcome document with the title “The Future We Want” has been published. The document can be reached from here.
The New Report on Sustainability
Meanwhile the Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Global Sustainability has announced the new report related to sustainability in January.
The title of the report is “Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing”.
The report can be downloaded from here.
The answers to the most frequently asked questions can be reached by clicking here.
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The money, part of a wider international emergency response to the earthquakes, will be used as part of UNDP’s planned recovery activities in Van, following a request for assistance from the Turkish Government.
UNDP plans to help affected people in the province by establishing a community centre that will provide counseling for women. The money will also be used to undertake a socio-economic assessment of affected women to define support for future possible income generating activities, as well as to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to engage women in the recovery process.
Following a call from the Turkish Government, UN agencies based in the country have been providing emergency assistance to earthquake survivors in Van since the disaster occurred in October.
Support so far has included the provision of socio-psychological assistance, emergency shelter, and prefabricated containers to be used as schools and recreational facilities for children.
A list of humanitarian assistance provided by international community to Van Governorate for the victims of the Earthquake as of 20 December 2011 (reported by various sources to the UN Resident Coordination Office in Turkey) can be found on: http://www.un.org.tr/int.html
The UN delegation was composed of UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Shahid Najam as well as UNICEF and IOM representatives.
In Van, the delegation met Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) representatives and handed over 5,000 blankets, 2,500 comforters, 2,500 collapsible beds, 1,000 plastic tables and 2,000 plastic chairs provided by UN and IOM for use in the container houses.
In Van, the delegation met with the Governor of Van, Mr. Münir Karaloğlu, after completing their tour of tent cities and container houses in Erciş and Van.
Governor Karaloğlu expressed his gratitude to the UN for sending aid materials to Van following the devastating earthquake.
He added that two schools were erected with the contributions from UNICEF and other donors. The schools have also been used as shelter for teachers who lost their homes in the earthquake.
Stating that major natural disasters enhance international cooperation and solidarity, Karaloğlu said that the aid campaign for the Van earthquake was a very good example of solidarity at national and international levels.
UN Resident Coordinator Shahid Najam said that they were in Van to extend their sympathy for the earthquake victims. He added that they are impressed with the speed and effectiveness of earthquake response and aid efforts.
Now more than ever, leaders need to focus on what matters most - the long-term resilience of people and the planet - the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability urged in its report presented in late January to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Addis Ababa.
The 22-member Panel, established by the Secretary-General in August 2010 to formulate a new blueprint for sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity, was co-chaired by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma.
The Panel's final report, "Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing," contains 56 recommendations to put sustainable development into practice and to mainstream it into economic policy as quickly as possible.
"Resilient People, Resilient Planet" calls for the integration of social and environmental costs in how the world prices and measures economic activities.
It also calls for a set of sustainable development indicators that go beyond the traditional approach of Gross Domestic Product and recommends that Governments develop and apply a set of Sustainable Development Goals that can mobilize global action and help monitor progress.
The Panel's report underscores the importance of science as an essential guide for decision-making on sustainability issues.
It calls on the Secretary-General to lead efforts to produce a regular Global Sustainable Development Outlook report that integrates knowledge across sectors and institutions, and to consider creating a Science Advisory Board or Scientific Advisor.
The report of the High-level Panel is a significant contribution to the UN's work on sustainable development, and provides a timely contribution to preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil in June 2012.
The Report is available at http://www.un.org/gsp
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Dreams Academy’s students from dancing workshop have also accompanied Social Inclusion Band by performing a dance show.
SIB founded in 2009 performed at different festivals like Rock’n Coke, Efes One Love, İKSV and Akbank Caz during last summer.
Starting from January, each month, the band will keep performing at Babylon, Beyoğlu in Istanbul.
Social Inclusion Band, was formed to show the power of music and art to everyone.
The next performance will be on February 27 at Babylon. The tickets are sold at Biletix and the ticket offices at Babylon.
About Dreams Academy:
Dreams Academy is a project designed to make disabled and socially disadvantaged young people get involved in social life and to support their employment.
The project has been developed by Alternatif Yaşam Derneği (AYDER) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and implemented with grant support taken from Vodafone Foundation in Turkey.
Dreams Academy, trains people at places allocated by local municipalities like Ataşehir, Beşiktaş and Kadıköy.
Dreams Academy is an international social responsibility project in which professional trainers give free culture and art education to disabled and socially disadvantaged young people. Its workshops include rhythm, dance, drama, movie, photography, DJ, instrument, painting, and design.
The project has been awarded 2009 Golden Compass and 2011 “This is Social Innovation” prizes and also has been mentioned as a success story in social inclusion report of UNDP in 2011.
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At the 3rd National Energy Efficiency Forum and Fair, Levent Çakıroğlu, CEO of Arçelik and Dr. Katalin Zaim, UNDP Environment and Sustainable Development Programme Manager visited the Arçelik booth and announced their collaboration.
Having said that Arçelik A.Ş. serves the consumers in various countries through more energy efficient appliances that have been developed and produced with their own technology, Arçelik CEO Levent Çakıroğlu emphasized that with the technology, efficient production facilities, qualified human resources and strong brands that they have, and they are the most important white goods sector representative in the world.
Dr. Katalin Zaim, UNDP Environment and Sustainable Development Programme Manager stated that; “UNDP is the UN’s global development network that advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life in order to ensure empowered lives and resilient nations. More than 50 years the UNDP in Turkey has worked in close partnership with the Turkish government, NGOs, academics and the private sector partners to find practical solutions to Turkey’s development challenges. UNDP works for sustainable development and growth with equity by combating environmental degradation that addresses climate change, renewable energy and energy efficiency.”
Model United Nations Turkey MUNTR) is a conference organized by the Model United Nations Association.
Being the largest MUN conference in Turkey and neighboring countries with more than 600 participants, there is no doubt that MUNTR 2012 will be able to meet the expectations of its followers worldwide.
The conference is open for any participants between the ages of 16-25.
You can visit the website of the conference via www.muntr.org or e-mail the organizers at info@muntr.org
Dreams Academy starts the new training semester with two new partners.
Dreams Academy and the British Council is going to cooperate in teaching English through arts.
Also, having a partnership with Yoga Academy, Dream Academy is going to include yoga workshops to its program
Dreams Academy, since 2008, is an international social responsibility project that has been working to create opportunities for socially disadvantaged and disabled young people and to make them be included into social life.
Dreams Academy provides a free training to disabled and socially disadvantaged individuals in different branches of arts.
The new training semester at Dream Academy
The training about “How to Treat Disabled People correctly and Volunteering” for trainers and volunteers was held in February 4 and 5 at 10.00 AM at Central Building of Dream Academy located in Batı Ataşehir.
Dreams Academy now invites volunteer trainers to work at workshops such as instrument, painting, drama, dancing, rtyhtm and pilates.
“Open Door” Event will take place at Central Building of Dream Academy located in Batı Ataşehir, Istanbul and Dilek Sabancı Park in Etiler in February 11.
To participate, application form can be accessed from this link.
About Dreams Academy:
Düşler Akademisi is a project designed to make disabled and socially disadvantaged young people get involve in social life and to support their employment. The project has been developed by Alternatif Yaşam Derneği (AYDER) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and implemented with grants taken from Vodafone Foundation in Turkey.
Düşler Akademisi, trains people at places allocated by local municipalities like Ataşehir, Beşiktaş and Kadıköy.
Düşler akademisi is an international social responsibility project in which professional trainers give free culture and art education to disabled and socially disadvantaged young people. Its workshops include rhythm, dance, drama, movie, photography, DJ, instrument, painting, and design.
The project has been awarded 2009 Golden Compass and 2011 “This is Social Innovation” prizes and also has been mentioned as a success story in social inclusion report of UNDP in 2011.
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In the scope of “Count Down for Gender Equality Has Started Campaign”, which was launched by Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Cemil Çiçek, in November 2011, Istanbul Regional Information and Experience Sharing Platform aimed at raising awareness at local and national level as well as sharing the knowledge and experience in the field of gender equality.
In that respect, the Platform provided an important opportunity for the local actors to meet with the Chairperson and members of the Commission as legislative body of the Gender Equality Machinery in Turkey and share their needs and suggestions for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The platform in which Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission for Man and Woman Ms. Azize Sibel Gönül introduced the Campaign addressed the following challenges in ensuring gender equality in Turkey:
1. The low level of information and perception on gender equality among public,
2. The existence of strong prejudices on gender equality vested among public,
3. The low level of information and perception on gender equality among the practitioners of the field,
4. The lack of coordination and cooperation among the concerned institutions and organizations and civil society, which prevents efficient implementation of the plans and programmes developed on gender equality.
Strategy
Ms. Gönül informed the participants that similar platforms will be organized in 12 sub-regions, defined according to NUTS II, in order to ensure the introduction of the campaign at both local and national levels and raise awareness on gender equality among society and concerned institutions.
In this regard, she underlined the importance of support of media organisations, local authorities, development agencies, academia and civil society organisations in making this happen.
Platform, which will contribute to the introduction of “For a More Just World, Stand by Me” themed Campaign through the strategy to be followed and activities to be carried out, is considered to be an important opportunity in terms providing a stage where the present situation, needs and activities carried out up-to-date on gender equality in Istanbul region will be discussed in presence of representatives from civil society organizations and all concerned institutions and organizations.
Following the opening remarks and introduction of the Campaign, with kind facilitation of Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission for Man and Woman together with AKP Deputy Öznur Çalık and CHP Deputy Binnaz Toprak from the same Commission, following aspects of gender equality were discussed among the participants:
• What do we understand from gender equality? Which kind of activities are carried out at local level in order to ensure internalization of gender equality in service delivery and which kind of steps should be taken for the institutionalization of these activities?
• What are the needs, challenges and opportunities that are faced in İstanbul region in ensuring gender equality?
• Which kind of steps should be taken in order to strengthen efficient coordination and information flow among institutions and organizations working on gender equality at local level and TGNA Equal Opportunities Commission for Man and Woman?
Summary of the results of the discussions
• Necessary measures for women’s active participation to local authorities and special attention should be given to women councils
• Cooperation with other line ministries should be enhanced
• Women representation in decision making processes should be improved at national and local level
• Ensuring the support and active contribution of men is crucial in mainstreaming gender equality
• Specific targets should be set in order to ensure a balance in appointment and promotion of personnel at public level
• Training opportunities should be provided to men and women in an equal way at public and private sector
• Adequate financial and human resources should be maintained in order to ensure the gender equality
The project, designed by the Union of Haricot Bean Producers in Çayırlı, is put into practice with a grant through co-financing.
The plant was established within the context of Sivas-Erzincan Development Project and Erzincan Haricot Bean Strategic Investment Plan.
The capacity of the plant, which costs 466.239 Turkish liras, is 5 tons. The Union of Producers received a grant of 266.369 Turkish liras.
130 thousand kilograms of haricot beans have been wrapped in sacks of 25 kilograms after sifting and categorization phases.
A grant was given to agricultural equipments, bought by 115 farmers, to produce locally produced haricot bean with modern agriculture equipments.
Women employment
Besides a permanent female business manager and a machinery technician, there are 22 seasonal female workers working at the plant.
Workers were trained in packing and marketing by the Employment Institution of Turkey through the initiative of governorship.
While the price of 1 kg of unprocessed haricot bean in the region is 3-3.5 Turkish liras, the price of 1 kg of the ones processed by the plant is sold with a price of 5, 5-6 Turkish liras to other cities like İstanbul and Bursa.
Haricot beans are marketed to big legume firms and sold at chain supermarkets for consumers.
Different haricot beans
The type of haricot bean called “battal” grown in Erzincan-Çayırlı has no shell and can be easily cooked. Also this type of haricot bean can be stored up to 5 years.
Sivas-Erzincan Development Project is conducted with the support of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and the technical assistance of UNDP.
The budget is sustained by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The conference that was held in January 30 – 31 2012 organized by the UN Joint Programme Alliances for Culture Tourism in Eastern Anatolia and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Participants from Turkey and abroad as experts from the different areas of tourism raised issues like the concept of sustainable tourism and trends in Turkey and the world; community based tourism and local partnerships, relationship between the environment and tourism and also development agency’s role in the sustainable tourism.
The conference that started with the opening speeches of Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mr. Ertuğrul Günay and United Nations Turkey Resident Coordinator Mr. Shahid Najam had participants from Ministry of Culture and Tourism, relevant United Nations agencies along with experts from the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning , the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs; Europen Union Turkey Delegation, regional development agencies, governorates and municipalities from different provinces, representatives from private sector and tourism unions and associations.
More than 150 participants discussed best practices, common problems and solution suggestions on not only about Turkey and Mediterranean basin but also rest of the world. A workshop will follow this Sustainable Tourism Conference and the issues that raised during the conference along with the overall results will be shared with the public in a document.
The UN Joint Programme is being implemented in Kars since 2008 in order to mobilize the tourism sector. Several capacity building projects to promote culture, winter and nature tourism potential of the province have been realized with the national partnership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. UN agencies, namely UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF and UNWTO provided financial support as well as expertise to the UN Joint Programme.
The new project will be in cooperation with another project, Forest Information System (ORBİS) project and will support General Directorate of Forestry’s projects.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) delegation visited General Directorate of Forestry in January regarding the projects.
In the meeting, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Turkey, Ulrika Richardson-Golinski explained UNDP’s approach regarding sustainable management of forestry which it is conducting researches in more than 160 countries.
The general director of forestry, Mustafa Kurtulmuş mentioned the preparation for United Nations Forestry Forum which will be held in İstanbul in April 2013
UNDP is conducting more than 60 projects related to biodiversity, climate change, and forest products excluding timber and sustainable development with governments in Central Europe, Caucasia and Central Asia.
The cooperation between UNDP Turkey office and General Directorate of Forestry serves as an example for other country offices of UNDP.
The Project is being conducted with local partners of TDEAP; Uzundere Municipality, Uzundere District Governorship and Northeastern Anatolia Development Agency (KUDAKA).
It has been carried out in Erzurum including twenty provinces at the end of January.
Having conducted field works about bird population within the region, the project has aimed at Erzurum being recognized as an “alternative tourism place” for bird watching tourism.
The Bird Paradise of the Anatolia Peak Project also took part in the organization team of the 4th Coruh Valley Bird Watching Festival organized by TDEAP at the end of 2011.
Being led by Erzurum Bird Watching Society, ERTUEL and UDOSK, the festival will be organized in the following years.
*TDEAP jointly executed by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ministry of Culture and Tourism and EFES Company since April 2007, aims to contribute to the living standard of local people by improving tourism activities in the Coruh Valley.
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In this episode, our subject is women-friendly cities. We will discuss the meaning of the concept of women-friendly cities and which cities in Turkey are women-friendly.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. In this episode, our subject is women-friendly cities. We will discuss the meaning of the concept of women-friendly cities and which cities in Turkey are women-friendly. Our contributor is the Coordinator of Women Friendly Cities Project, Ms. Zeynep Başarankut. Hello and welcome, Ms. Başarankut.
Zeynep Başarankut (Z.B.): Hello.
UNDP Turkey: Let’s start with the first item I mentioned. What does a women-friendly city mean?
Z.B.: It means that women participate in the decision-making process regarding the services provided by the municipality in a city, such as transportation and security. The cities that aim to ensure that women benefit from these services as much as men are “women-friendly.”
UNDP Turkey: Indeed, it aims to ensure the application of concepts in a manner that they impact our daily lives on the local level, and also that women and men benefit from these equally.
Z.B.: Yes, I think so too.
N.H.: My notes tell me that the project started in 2006 and finished in 2010. That was the first phase of the project and now you are starting the second phase. It has been 8-9 months since April 2011 and now we have entered 2012. Your project will continue until 2013. Which cities have been included in your project so far?
Z.B.: We conducted this project in İzmir, Kars, Nevşehir, Şanlıurfa, Trabzon and Van between 2006 and 2010, as you have pointed out. As 2010 arrived, there were many other cities in line that wanted to be listed under Women-Friendly Cities.
UNDP Turkey: How did they express their wish to be listed? By becoming aware of the project and the results it yielded?
Z.B.: Besides enabling women and men to equally take advantage of the services we just mentioned, this project is the first of its kind to implement a number of nationwide projects on the local level. Seeing that our project partner is the Ministry of the Interior and that the project is successful, many governorates and municipalities wanted a share of this success for their own provinces. Therefore, when we completed the project in 6 provinces, we ended up with a list of 15-20 more cities. In 2011, together with the Ministry of Interior we decided to restart the project. We are conducting it with two specialized UN agencies, while the Govenrment of Sweden and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency provide financial aid.
UNDP Turkey: To summarize, the Ministry of the Interior General Directorate of Local Authorities, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and, on the financing side, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency are involved in the project. These partners have been conducting the project since Phase 1. So which provinces are the newcomers?
Z.B.: After the first 6, Antalya, Bursa, Gaziantep, Malatya, Mardin and Samsun have joined the project. As for how we select provinces, the enthusiasm of the local institutions, governorates and municipalities of the province play a key role. But it is very important that women’s organizations are also enthusiastic and that they have a certain capacity. Women's organizations, which represent the local women’s needs, are significant actors within the project.
UNDP Turkey: We should perhaps include local administrations besides these four partners we listed. With the participation of the local NGOs, the project has become multi-partner and multi-dimensional. It aims to create a women-friendly city where everyone can equally benefit from the economic and political opportunities provided. Let’s dig a little deeper into this. How do we create women-friendly cities? Where do we start and how do we conclude the process?
Z.B.: We developed and tried to implement a model at the first phase of the project to create women-friendly cities and it succeeded. It has 3 pillars. One of them is the Women’s Rights Coordination Council. This Council gathers all the decision makers, the group in demand of service, meaning the women, via the women’s organizations and firstly determines what is needed in the city. Following that, an equal action plan is developed using the city’s resources.
UNDP Turkey: So we are talking about developing an action plan by ascertaining the problems beforehand, and then prioritizing them.
Z.B.: Of course what is particular to this action plan is that it is a reflection of the General Directorate on the Status of Women and CEDAW, this being the National Action Plan on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, on the local level. The action plan is comprised of seven main targets including security and combat against violence. And the application of this action plan is evidently carried out depending on the needs on the local level.
UNDP Turkey: How will the body of the General Directorate on the Status of Women and the implementation of UN conventions, such as CEDAW, on the local level affect our lives? What challenges do women face in Trabzon, Kars, İzmir and Gaziantep? All these will be ascertained and put into practice. You started the second phase in the first half of 2011. The first phase was about developing a certain action plan as we discussed. What will happen in 2012 and which resolutions will be put into practice?
Z.B.: Let me talk about 2011 very briefly. After these provinces became a part of the project, the councils I just mentioned were established. And equality supervisors were assigned among these organizations, institutions and all the members. Apart from that, we have two general provincial councils, like the provincial assembly and municipal council, in which we established equality commissions. This structure, as I just said, determines needs and implements the action plan. But each one of these bodies are assigned to outline the challenges and to create budget. So once you get all the official institutions that can carry out tasks on the local level to commit, you can make progress with the support of women’s organizations. If a plan of action on transportation is developed, they will know whether women will have access to it or not before a local action plan is devised. So they will improve it beforehand. Aside from that, if there are employment-related challenges persisting, they can ascertain the obstacles, provide vocational training and give incentives to establishing new firms. If there is a rising security and violence issue, providing women’s shelters and emergency services are some other examples we can give.
UNDP Turkey: So we are talking about concentrating on the increase of violence against women, if there exists a tendency towards it, or a security problem in a province. The issue of children and other important topics such as communications and transportation, and any kind of representation, employment and other challenges concerning the administration fall under the category of your field. So it is a multi-dimensional but locally implemented project. Now let’s talk about the UN’s role in this, as you represent that party of the project. UNFPA and UNDP are partners of the project. Judging from this perspective, can you explain the UN’s point of view and reason for being involved in the project?
Z.B.: As you know, the UN has been working on the elimination of gender inequality in Turkey for many years. It is working with both central institutions and national women’s organizations. Also it conducts works on the local level. We wanted to shift the experience we have accumulated so far into the local level together with the UN and two experts. And promoting gender equality is already among the Millennium Development Goals.
UNDP Turkey: When will these six provinces become women-friendly?
Z.B.: We hope that we will have included 12 new provinces into this group by mid-2013.
UNDP Turkey: Following İzmir, Kars, Nevşehir, Şanlıurfa, Trabzon and Van, thanks to your project, Antalya, Bursa, Gaziantep, Malatya, Mardin and Samsun will become women-friendly as well. Thank you very much, Ms. Zeynep Başarankut, Coordinator of Women Friendly Cities Project, for your contribution. We have come to the end of this episode of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This program has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of Ankara University Communications Department. You can follow our program on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes under podcasts and on undp.org.tr. Our username for social media is undpturkiye. Hope to see you next week, good-bye!
In this episode, we will talk about protected areas.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. In this episode, we will talk about protected areas. We will discuss with our contributors the meaning of protected areas, how areas can be protected and exemplary practices of protected areas from Turkey. Our contributors are Ms. Başak Avcıoğlu, WWF-Turkey Nature Protection Director, and Mr. Yıldıray Lise, biologist and Deputy Manager of Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey Project. Hello and welcome to our program.
Başak Avcıoğlu (B.A.), Yıldıray Lise (Y.L.): Hello.
UNDP Turkey: Let me start with you Mr. Lise, what does a protected area mean?
Y.L.: In fact, "protected area" has many different definitions around the globe. But the important one is that of World Wildlife Fund, which is "land or marine area, managed through legal or other means, that serves to the protection and sustainability of biodiversity and its resources." There two important points here: one is that these areas serve to protect and sustain, and the other is that they are managed.
UNDP Turkey: Also, a protected are serves to the usage of cultural resources related to biodiversity. So we shouldn't regard it solely as protection of the nature but of everything related to nature.
Y.L.: In Turkey, when we say protected area, the first thing that we think of is national parks. There are many protected areas having different statuses in Turkey. But generally when we ask people, they mostly think of national parks. More than around 5% of Turkey's land is protected under different statuses.
UNDP Turkey: But of course not all of these areas are national parks.
Y.L.: No, there belong to different categories.
UNDP Turkey: How many national parks are there in Turkey?
Y.L.: We have 41 national parks.
UNDP Turkey: Can you name a few of them?
Y.L.: There is Küre Mountains where we work and Aladağlar, which is one of the first to pop into our minds. There is also Mount Ağrı, Mount Kaçkar, Bey Mountains in Antalya and Dilek Peninsula.
UNDP Turkey: So let's underline that there are national parks all around Turkey within one and a half hours' reach. We'll come back to this but now let's turn to Ms. Avcıoğlu. Your project is born out of a partnership between WWF-Turkey and UNDP. What is your perspective and reason for taking part in this project? Actually, your title answers this question but we would like to hear your contributions to the project.
B.A.: I can say that this project is ten years old. At the beginning there were our cooperative activities, which today have intensified. We are working in cooperation with many institutions and organizations at every step of the project from improving how Küre Mountains are managed, supporting the NGOs there, to capacity building and awareness raising activities. Of course, we should talk about the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs along with UNDP. We formed a triple partnership and I would like to stress that this project is one of the most notable ones in Turkey where NGOs and institutions come together with institutions like the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs or the UN. So that is how we are contributing as much as possible to the protection of nature in the local level.
UNDP Turkey: World Wildlife Fund is a strong natural protection organization.
B.A.: Yes, it is one of the oldest ones.
UNDP Turkey: You are conducting this project with the United Nations Development Programme and, as you said, the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs. You receive financial support from Global Environment Facility and you have countless local partners. If you'd like, let's continue with Küre. Your project is a GEF-financed one on the protection of forests. What do you do on the local level?
Y.L.: Our main objective is to turn Küre Mountains into an exemplary model. We are trying to come up with a model to set an example for the remaining 40 national parks in Turkey. We are planning on strengthening its managerial infrastructure because there is the sustainable communication strategy and planning management dimension among the management of visitors and many others. Our second objective is putting up signs on the roads and pathways to better serve our visitors. Our third objective concerns a buffer zone, the only one around the national park. We are working together with the Ministry on achieving sustainable forestry there.
UNDP Turkey: Isn't there a buffer outside of the national park?
Y.L.: No, there isn't. There is one inside but none on the outside.
UNDP Turkey: It seems that you have created a model by looking at some examples around the world.
Y.L.: Yes, when it was declared a national park back in 2000, we had an exemplary practice program we built on this model for civil society projects. Also, we have different protection and sustainability practices in the local level. And in our third phase, we are trying to think of how we can contribute in a general manner to the system of protected areas in Turkey. Especially, after the project has started, it had an ever-growing financial and also technical contribution. What we are looking at is how to improve this system of protected areas, how to come up with a system of monitoring and evaluation and how to outline certain strategies.
B.A.: Perhaps, at this point we can talk about Pan Parks, which is a network of Europe's best protected areas.
UNDP Turkey: When we spoke last year, there was still a long way to go, but now I see that that distance is covered. Küre Mountains is one step closer to the network of protected areas.
B.A.: Yes, currently we are very close and hopefully we will witness its inclusion and obtain our certificate.
UNDP Turkey: According to your estimations, when will Küre Mountains be included in the Pan Parks network? Can you make out a date?
Y.L.: Based on our correspondence today, we will go through an international monitoring in the beginning of April. And by June, the process will have finalized.
UNDP Turkey: Taking part in such a prestigious network may have an effect on the number of visitors from Turkey and abroad. I would like to ask you now, Ms. Avcıoğlu, how dos this process take place in the world? In recent times, the importance of protected areas in the struggle against climate change has been gaining in importance. Why is that so and can you name some examples from Turkey?
B.A.: Improving and developing a system of protected areas is highly significant. One of the most notable conventions is the Convention on Biological Diversity. Under its protection programme on protected areas, all member states are obliged to improve their system of protected areas. Our foundation is working to align our system with this convention. One of its most important components manifested itself in climate change. We started to feel the effects due to changing climate in protected areas. For instance, we witnessed the destructive effects of floods and tsunami in Asia. Precipitation is increasing and landslides occur in the Black Sea region. Climate change is observable in America and in Europe too. Protected areas decrease such effects of climate change.
UNDP Turkey: Because it adopts a multidimensional approach. It also has a cultural aspect along with those you mentioned. You have translated a book called Natural Solutions, which is a very good publication. It can be downloaded on undp.org. Turkey's national strategy on climate change and protected areas was prepared, with the contributions of your expertise, to be the first one in Turkey and perhaps in the world. I would like to ask one final question because there might be those among our listeners who would like to make a contribution. How can they reach you?
Y.L.: As you mentioned, everyone can reach us on undp.org. They can also reach all the information we provided here and the digital versions of the documents we talked about on www.kdmp.gov.tr, the official website of Küre Mountains National Park, which is the only national park in Turkey to have a website.
B.A.: World Wildlife Fund also has a website. All our activities and information regarding climate change is available on wwf.org.tr. We work a lot with volunteers on protected areas and protection activities and anybody can support us as a volunteer.
UNDP Turkey: I can see that your project has good relations with institutions and has a strong presence on social media. Therefore it is possible to follow your activities on Facebook and Twitter to get information. Thank you very much for your contributions, biologist and Deputy Manager of Enhancing Forest Protected Areas Management System in Turkey Project, Mr. Lise, and WWF-Turkey Nature Protection Director, Ms. Avcıoğlu. We have come to the end of this episode of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This program has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of Ankara University Communications Department. You can follow our program on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes under podcasts and on undp.org.tr . Our username for social media is undpturkiye. Hope to see you next week, good-bye!
In this episode, we will talk about a campaign called Countdown for Gender Equality Has Started. We will discuss with our contributor the progress of the project, which was initiated in November 2011, and its future prospects.
UNDP Turkey: Hello, this is the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. In this episode, we will talk about a campaign called Countdown for Gender Equality Has Started. We will discuss with our contributor the progress of the project which has been initiated in November 2011, and its future prospects. Our contributor today is an MP from Kocaeli, Chairman of Equal Opportunities Commission for Woman and Man of Turkish Grand National Assembly, Ms. Azize Sibel Gönül. Welcome, Ms. Gönül.
Azize Sibel Gönül (S.G.): Hello, thank you for inviting me.
UNDP Turkey: You have come to join us from an ongoing meeting in Istanbul, namely the Information and Experience Sharing Platform of Istanbul Regional meeting. You initiated the Countdown for Gender Equality Has Started campaign at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in November 2011. Perhaps it will be better to start our conversation with the campaign. What does the title of the campaign signify?
S.G.: As you know the Millennium Development Goals target the year 2015. The Countdown for Gender Equality Has Started campaign is jointly led by the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. It is a one-year campaign with a one million dollar budget. Under the coordination of TGNA Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, UNDP, UN Women, Ministry of the Interior General Directorate on the Status of Women, Union of Municipalities and, lastly, related development agencies are our contributing partners. Particularly, UNDP is an important partner as it provides us with technical support.
UNDP Turkey: So this is a general framework of the campaign. Indeed the countdown for gender equality has started. By countdown, you mean 2015, I suppose.
S.G.: Yes we target 2015 and we hope to establish a favorable environment for gender equality. We have come up with a motto: “For a More Just World, Stand by Me.” We set out with this motto, prepared all the posters, brochures, CDs and website of our campaign, thanks to the contributions of UNDP. And we announced the start of our campaign to the press in the presence of the members of the TGNA Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men and our honorable president of the Assembly. We said to everyone, “For a more just world, stand by me.” After the introduction, we have received some very positive outputs. After a brief period, institutions willing to support our campaign emerged. I would like to talk about one of them. This year PTT (Post, Telegraph and Telephone Service) will use our motto on all their postal stamps. So Turkey will see our motto on all kinds of postal services. Also the seals on the envelopes will carry the same motto. PTT will display our campaign’s posters and brochures in all its branches and distribute informative flyers to homes for free. Our activities continue since the campaign’s initiation on November 25. We think that development agencies might also support us because they have key roles in those regions.
UNDP Turkey: You are operating in 26 different regions.
S.G.: Yes, in 26 regions determined by the statistical region classification. This classification into regions, prepared for the national development plan, outlined 12 sub-regions in fact. But since there can be two agencies in one region, we will have the opportunity to operate in both. Therefore, this meeting we held at the assembly with the participation of 26 development agency secretary-generals has been very fruitful. Following this meeting, we, as the commission members and MPs, decided to take to the field for performing fieldwork in these 12 sub-regions. For example, Istanbul province constitutes a single region.
UNDP Turkey: Meaning that Istanbul is a development region on its own.
S.G.: But my region encompasses five provinces, namely Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu and Yalova, under the East Marmara Development Agency (MARKA). We will hold the meeting I mentioned in one of these five provinces and invite all the others within this development region. We will gather the MPs, elected personalities, appointed personalities, academics, as well as people from NGOs and development agencies of that region. All organizations, decision-makers and executives will talk about the coordination of the issue, as well as the steps taken and to be taken. Thus, these meetings are significant for the promotion of the campaign, raising social awareness on the issue and also questioning the activities under the campaign.
UNDP Turkey: Actually, you started off quite fast. By the second half of 2011, you took over the presidency of the TGNA Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men from Ms. Güldal Akşit. And with this campaign at hand, you are moving with great pace. At the beginning of this episode, we talked about the operation aspect of the campaign. Perhaps it will be better to talk a little bit about its background. What kind of problems are you faced with and how do you detect them? Consequently, where do you think this process will lead you?
S.G.: When we look into the process, equality between men and women is a long process requiring a lot of work and effort in the whole world, not just in our country. Therefore, it is a field that requires continuous work. Sexist values and customs in a society may pose an obstacle for women in benefiting from present laws in social and everyday life. So, we get the chance to observe this in practice when we go to the field. On the other hand, no matter how much we strengthen the legal ground, it is not possible to extend the practice of these laws as long as they are not carried into effect, that is, as long as there are problems in their implementation. For this reason, we need to look into the problems faced in the field to come up with solutions. At this point, we believe the fieldwork we carry out under the campaign will contribute to raising awareness in the local, regional and national level. And our friends at the commission and at UNDP are all working in a very self-less manner and, at the same time, putting a lot of effort into this. I especially think that the data we received in the meeting in Istanbul today is very significant. So the format and output of our following meetings are very important. There will be main policies formed at the top level but in our opinion, ensuring their expansion to the base level and conjuring something at the base level and making sure that it makes its way to the top will leave a more permanent mark.
UNDP Turkey: You talked about including the outcome into the policies in the local, regional and national levels. Let us emphasize that we are recording this episode on January 27. You are starting with the Istanbul region and you will be visiting many provinces and regions based on the 12-province framework. You will be moving on to Mardin and Malatya provinces in February and March. And of course, the outcomes you get there will be transmitted to Ankara where another outcome is due to follow.
S.G.: We will transmit the outcomes to the ministries and institutions. This campaign will continue for a year and during this year we definitely want to visit at least 12 provinces. So this tour will go on until the beginning of 2013. As you mentioned, we will be visiting Mardin in February, Malatya in March and then Tokat from where we will continue with provinces in the west. After these visits, perhaps we might organize a meeting in the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Since we held our first meeting there, we might as well hold the last one there too. So that’s basically how the process will take place.
UNDP Turkey: You can find information on the objectives of the campaign on its official site by typing “Countdown for Gender Equality Has Started” on the internet. Distinguished MP, Ms. Gönül informed us about how this campaign started and what is being done within its scope of work. MP from Kocaeli and Chairman of Equal Opportunities Commission for Woman and Man of Turkish Grand National Assembly Ms. Azize Sibel Gönül, thank you very much for joining us to talk about the Countdown for Gender Equality Has Started campaign, which was initiated in November 2011 and will continue until the beginning of 2013. Those whore are interested in the topic can get more information on its website. We have come to the end of this episode of the New Horizons Podcast of United Nations Development Programme Turkey. This program has been recorded at the studio of Radyo İlef of Ankara University Communications Department. You can follow our program on Açık Radyo (Open Radio) on FM frequency, on university radios in our broadcasting network, on iTunes under podcasts and on undp.org.tr. Our username for social media is undpturkiye. Hope to see you next week, good-bye!