All posts by : İNGEV

There are many programs for social cohesion in Türkiye and around the world. Significant financial resources and funds are allocated to these programs. One of the main areas of development is to ensure that these financial resources reach the field in the most efficient and result-oriented way.

There are many areas of efficiency such as avoiding high central administration costs and preventing program bureaucracy from getting in the way of the objectives.

The correct design of programs from the very beginning determines many subsequent processes.

“Social Cohesion in Türkiye: Programming Model and Guide”, prepared by INGEV with the support of UNHCR, is based on previously published research and studies on social cohesion worldwide. It provides guidance to stakeholders for effective planning and monitoring of programs targeting social cohesion.

The English version of the Guide was introduced to many stakeholders at various meetings in recent months.

Click here to read the guide.

ActHuman Social Inclusion Initiative, which has been in cooperation with INGEV and Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center for five years, aims to offer solutions to the widespread problem of precarity in Türkiye with its “Precariat and Social Security” Report.

The report, prepared by Prof. Sarphan Uzunoğlu after a series of research, states that precarious work, defined as an unpredictable and risky form of work, is becoming a global norm with every passing year. The problem of precarity in Türkiye and the social and economic problems that may arise on the axis of the expanding “precariat” are defined. Policies that can be produced are opened to discussion.

Approximately 9 million people are estimated to be working unregistered in Türkiye and 1 million people are working under temporary protection. Youth unemployment is around 5.5 million. We can add to these numbers of people who have been excluded from social and economic life, and people who have been isolated from working life on legal grounds. The result is a very large community living precariously.

This level of precarity is a grave danger for healthy human development and social progress.

The report shows the extent of this danger and outlines the social policies that can be put in place to address it.

Click here for the full report.

One day, while buying roses from a flower shop, Damla realized that the pots were not constructed from the proper materials. They were fragile and not suitable for plants that need a lot of water. Damla knew this very well as she had worked with construction materials such as steel and cement. That’s when she had an idea. She had more knowledge than most of the other pot producers, so she thought it would be good to use this knowledge and produce better-quality pots. She could create different designs and explore her love of art. Still, there was a problem: how to begin?

She did not have the necessary equipment or materials for this kind of work. Then she heard about the business development center run by INGEV in partnership with  Danish Refugee Council (DRC). Funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW – German Development Bank, the center supports entrepreneurs with both technical and start-up capital assistance to establish their own businesses. The center provided different types of training, such as project and financial management, marketing, and Turkish labor law, as well as start-up grants, before selecting graduates with strong business plans to prepare them to succeed in the Turkish market.

Starting a business seemed like a daunting endeavor to Damla. She had not even thought about starting a business before that moment, but she decided to do it. She was impressed by the quality and content of the trainings. “They were very useful. I learned how to write a business plan, look for sales channels and professionally start a business. They pushed me to think in a new and different way, even though my background was different.”

Damla’s startup proposal to the center was accepted and the team at the center provided her with continuous technical guidance. Damla said, “They have been with me every step of the way. Through their counseling, they helped me fill the gaps I had.”

Click here for more of the story…

September 2022 Newsletter is Out! 🗞️

🌀 “Social Cohesion, Not Polarization”

Social Cohesion Guide, HDI/SDG ve ActHuman V Launches, Mind Poisoners, Startup Weekend, Early Childhood Education, DUKKAN, Women’s Employment Survey and more in our new issue

https://bit.ly/3TPtwIL

Vural Çakır: “1% of the world population controls 82% of the world income generated during the year”

The World Becomes 8 Billion People in November!

So what does this mean for humanity and our planet?

Speaking at the event held by UNFPA Turkey, INGEV President Vural Çakır said:

“While the world population has increased by 1 billion in the last 11 years, the average per capita income has doubled. There is still a serious amount of resources that can be shared worldwide, and the production potential is high. We can be hopeful for our planet.”

“On the other hand, extreme poverty has increased so much in the past 20 years, 600 million people live in these conditions and face hunger. Wars and the pandemic have exacerbated this situation. Precariatization is another reality that is becoming more and more central to our lives.”

“We have a capacity that can generate income, although death rates have decreased a lot in the world, we cannot be happy with it, we cannot limit ourselves.”

“It is a fact that although the numbers are important, special attention should be paid to mind-poisoners. Terms like “per capita”, “average”, “total” confuse us. It is in these mind-poisoning concepts that we are rendering the reality of our planet invisible, that we should avoid.”

“Inequalities have somehow stayed the same or increased. While 1% of the world’s population has access to 82% of the world’s income generated during the year, 99% of the world’s population is trying to live on the remaining 18%.

“In per capita income, the most developed countries have 102 times more income than the least developed countries. We can fight inequalities only if equality of income distribution becomes a way of life for all institutions.”

What should we do?

We must increase the coordination between all institutions, namely international organizations, governments, NGOs.

We should measure progress towards SDGs by data management, which is the weakest aspect of SDG indicators.

We must understand the urgency of the situation.

We must constantly acquire data and move it beyond the average.

🔗 to watch the event: https://bit.ly/3J4mrPI