Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health: Training Program for Village Headmen and Village Headmen Candidates

Target Audience

55 headmen of low socio-economic level districts, and approximately 25 village headmen to be selected from villages which are under the administration of the city center.

Project Summary

This project aims to inform village headmen who occupy a critically important role in small Turkish villages. Muhtar is the elected head of a neighborhood and acts (on behalf of the local government) as the executive officer of a district. In rural areas these individuals play a crucial role since most populations are either uninformed or have limited access to proper government services. They are also known as ‘village headman’ (a majority of them are male). Through the training program of this project, village headmen will be actively informed about issues such as women’s health (mother-child health, violence, adolescent marriages, marriages within the family ), girls’ education, availability of social services to women under risk (poor, broken families), protection and development of women’s rights. In this context, village headmen will become more sensitive towards women’s issues, and able to provide more informed guidance to women and families in their community. 80 headmen will take part in a 30-hour training over the course of 5 days. An important multiplier effect of this project is that trained headmen will pass on this information and the new perspectives obtained to other community members and leaders, ultimately helping communities to be more gender sensitive and equal. The ultimate goal is to help encourage equal rights and treatment for women at the very local level.