I am Aware of My Strength, I Take Care of My Business

Background

Afyonkarahisar is one of the leading provinces in the marble sector of Turkey. According to the researches, although there are women working in the marble sector, the perception that marble work is based on physical strength and male work is common. Both education and income levels of women working in the sector are low, they generally work for contribution to family income and social security. The women working in the sector do not make career plans due to the widespread gender perception. In order to expand the perception that women can exist and be employed in every sector, it is necessary to construct support mechanisms.

Project Goals

• 120 women working in the marble sector and factory owners and managers operating in the sector in Afyonkarahisar center and İscehisar district, will be interviewed. Regarding these interviews the needs analysis and the current situation will be reported. Through the expansion of the results, the awareness will be raised in the Aegean region.
• Training of trainers on gender equality, personal and professional development, and working rights will be carried out by representatives of the bar association and the university for 15 leading women.
• Trainer women will train 45 women through peer learning under the guidance of the bar association and the university.
• A workshop will be held with the participation of two role model women and the women who have already participated in the trainings, and the awareness will be raised about women working in the marble industry.

Project Results

• In Afyonkarahisar, a needs assessment survey was conducted with 105 women working in the marble sector. In addition, surveys were made with companies operating in the marble sector to analyze the situation of female employees in the sector over the years.
• The results of the survey were published under the title of "Women in Marble Sector: Afyonkarahisar Report".
• In line with the priority issues and demands from the survey results, trainings were organized on gender equality, labor rights, basic computer skills, financial literacy, occupational health and safety.
• In order to break the male-dominated perception in the marble sector with the slogan "Professions do not have gender", the Association also shared information on social media accounts about women's right in labor and how gender inequality creates obstacles for women to continue their careers.
• Finally, informative brochures were published on gender equality and rights determined by labor law.

“Thanks to the association, I am informed. You don’t need to rely on anybody, you can handle your own needs. Being able to stand on your own feet is so good” A Project Participant

“I was encouraged by the awareness of the rights of women workers and their curiosity about this issue. It has been a very useful training program that needs to be disseminated to a wider audience.” Volunteer Trainer / Lawyer, Afyonkarahisar Bar Association