On Woman

We have done field work to research the subjects we can aid these women with. We noticed that they are especially uneducated with respect of hygiene and other health issues. Health education projects in association with Marmara University have given classes on health, hygiene, children and baby nutrition, reproductive health dangers and birth control. Reproductive Health Workshops educate women that work in agriculture about Family planning, menopause and Birth control methods. On the other hand, many discussions about violence were held among women. The Awareness of Domestic Violence Project helped open the “Notice Violence and Stop It!” exhibit. Education in sewing, crafting small accessories and painting clothes and jewelry was given to create a way for women to make some income. Some of the ongoing projects are as follows:

1. Fener Women Information Point                                                       

For roughly 7 years we have been carrying out trainings concerning woman issues in the Fener-Balat neighbourhood, and have been organizing researches and social studies about the women living in this area; and in this manner we noticed there was a necessity for a central communication and information point, in order to give correct information about specific or everyday woman issues more easily.

We developed the “Fener Women Information Point”, after discussing the issue with the women of Fener-Balat and after concluding that there was a true necessity for this project.

The Fener Women Information Point, in Turkish “Fener Kadın Danışma Noktası”, opened its doors on 15 February 2009, and is open to the women of Fener-Balat and its surroundings. Its information and trainings are free of charge.

The main goal of the project is to act as a ‘listening ear’ for the women and to help them and give them information as much as possible.

The main topics of the Information Point include:

  • Women health issues
  • Health in general
  • Violence within the family
  • Rights and law issues
  • Free of charge and beneficial health services information
  • Information about communications and transportation with and within the city

“Fener Kadın Danışma Noktası” consults women on above subjects, which concern women’s health, rights and free of charge health services they can make use of. All day long the women can benefit from these advices, and sometimes a professional gives this information.

The realized “Fener Kadın Danışma Noktası” trainings and activities include;

  • Fixed opening hours of the information point, supplementary trainings and meetings about health, women and reproductive health given by an expert.
  • Film projections and conversations accordingly.
  • Fairs with contributions of the women.
  • English and computer classes and other classes on demand.

The Fener Women Information Point’s activities, like the reproductive health trainings, were assessed positively by the women, and they expressed their interest about having more trainings and meetings like these.

2. “Zühre” Women’s Health magazine project (2007 - …)

In order to support women and give them information about their bodies and their health, their position and their status in Turkey, we have been publishing the “Zühre” magazine since 2008, which functions as an open space to talk about women’s health.

We believe in the importance of talking about women’s health and other issues concerning their bodies and their lives, to look at each others’ lives, to touch each others’ lives, and to shape each others’ lives. 

The main goals of publishing the magazine are: to provide and communicate topics concerning women’s rights, support and try to improve different perspectives on women’s health, and to improve the relation women have with their bodies.

This project is supported by the Matra/Kap Programme of the Royal Netherlands Embassy

3. OUR BODIES, OURSELVES Turkish Translation and Adaptation Project (2005-…)

“Our Bodies, Ourselves,” first published by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective in the early 1970s and translated into 21 languages since then, will now be translated and adapted by our Women Projects Group with its new 2005 version.  The book is informative about a woman’s spiritual and physical health. “ Our Bodies, Ourselves;” will be a woman based book and the experiences of our Consultive Group, which consists of 16 women NGOs, will be included. www.bedenimveben.org

4. Women’s Health Education Initiative:

We arranged for various faculties from the Marmara University Health Education Department to visit houses in the Fener-Balat region. They teach interactive classes in the field for six months on subjects including health, hygiene, infant nutrition, reproductive health and birth control.  Over 220 women are reached by this project every summer.  Additionally, we have an ongoing outreach program to raise awareness about domestic violence.