TURKEY: Promoting Gender Equality in Working Life (Twinning)

The overall objective of this Twinning project was to ensure gender equality in working life. It is a necessary condition to provide a legal framework that provides equal treatment of women and men. This aspect can be found in the project purpose which was to align Turkish legislation with EU gender equality acquis, to improve the capacity of institutions responsible for the implementation of the acquis and raise awareness of a broader public.

Under the first component, experts analysed Turkish legal texts in comparison to the EU gender equality acquis (Directives) and relevant case-law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). On the basis of the gap analysis a report has been elaborated providing recommendations on how to close the gaps. The focus of the second component lay on strengthening human resources capacity. The project aimed at making the national administration, judges and social partners familiar with the relevant EU acquis in order to guarantee proper enforcement of national legislation. Numerous trainings have been given and training plans and materials provided. The third component dealt with awareness raising on gender equality through the development of appropriate materials (brochure, booklets,…) and public presentation and discussion of project results.

The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR), which participated as Junior Partner to the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the German Association for Social Security Policy and Research (GVG), mainly contributed to the alignment of Turkish legislation with the provision of a gap analysis and recommendations. These have been elaborated in the areas of labour law, civil servants law, social security law and trade union law. The report chapters together with a general introduction and a summary are available for download in English below (Turkish version can be provided).

The LBI-GMR was also involved in the trainings on several fields of gender equality and in October 2011 organized of a study visit to Austria on gender equality legislation and its implementation.

Please see also:
Public Kick-Off Event Ankara
Event at the Austrian Embassy on the topic of gender equality
Turkish Delegation in Vienna
Closing ceremony Ankara