“Our ‘Local Impact’ workshops aimed at improving the conditions of disadvantaged groups in Istanbul continued in collaboration with Esenyurt Municipality. More than 40 representatives from municipalities, NGOs, and universities participated in the workshop, where Mayor Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özer gave an opening speech, emphasizing that Esenyurt is an important laboratory in Turkey and that they will always support such initiatives aimed at improving the situation of disadvantaged groups.
As part of the ‘Local Impact’ project, which we implemented with the support of the MATRA fund, we have held ten social inclusion workshops in the municipalities of Eyüpsultan, Sultanbeyli, Fatih, Sultangazi, Ataşehir, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Beykoz, Zeytinburnu, and Esenyurt since March. In these workshops, we focused on three main topics: 1- Identifying the different disadvantaged groups in the districts and determining their basic needs. 2- Exploring the most effective or innovative support that municipalities can provide to these groups and potential improvements in current programs. 3- Enhancing the impact of existing social aid and support programs for these groups and fostering further collaboration with civil society organizations.
DISADVANTAGED GROUPS IN ESENYURT:
➤ Illiterate women, women victims of violence, and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) women
➤ Low-income groups across 43 different neighborhoods of Esenyurt
➤ Youth unable to access digital platforms and services due to the high cost of the internet
➤ Children in need of special education
➤ Disabled individuals whose disabilities have not yet been identified
➤ Girls and women unable to access education and employment due to societal barriers
➤ Youth addicted to substances as young as 11, and technology-addicted children as young as 3
➤ Migrants working informally and without insurance
ESENYURT’S MAIN FOCUS AREAS:
➺ Identifying the needs of disabled individuals by assessing their disabilities and collecting neighborhood-based data
➺ Increasing the number of women’s shelters for victims of violence (currently, there is only one shelter in a district of 1 million people)
➺ Collaborating between the municipality and internet service providers to ensure everyone in the district has access to digital services and the internet
➺ Focusing more on men’s education while also considering societal conditions to ensure women’s access to employment and girls’ access to education
➺ Establishing more centers with high accessibility for disadvantaged groups, such as neighborhood employment offices and daycare centers, within walking distance of everyone ➺ Officially registering the ‘New Beginnings Youth Center’ in Esenyurt as soon as possible to help prevent substance abuse among youth and adults
➺ Esenyurt hosts 6% of Turkey’s industry and 20% of Istanbul’s industry within its borders, so firms should be encouraged to open daycare centers
➺ Increasing the number of cooperatives in the district (for example, an artisanal silk carpet production cooperative could be established)
➺ Establishing 24-hour childcare centers
➺ Various NGOs and local governments should organize employment projects to combat unemployment.