Assessment of National Women's Machineries in Turkey

With the new organizational law, the objectives and duties of the national women's machinery (NW)M have been updated and expanded to focus on building equality for women and men, and to move beyond the elimination of discrimination against women, to a framework for human rights, which are in this case, the protection and promotion of women’s human rights. The new law also provides for extra staff and creates gender expert positions. A new EC project under the 2005 Pre-membership FinancialAssistanceProgrammetitled“Expanding Gender Equality” aims to strengthen the capacity of the NWM itself, including training of staff members. The new organizational law also stipulates a new Advisory Council mandated to give policy advice to the Director, comprised of NWM officials, representatives of relevant government organizations and NGO leaders. This Council met in June 2006 and identified the need for the following issues to be addressed:

• An overall gender policy with priorities accorded to women’s employment, education, overcoming violence against women, and women’s participation in politics.

• Effective implementation of legal reforms for gender equality.