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Highlights of the reporting period; 15-31 December 2008

During the second half of the month between 15 and 31 December 2008, a total of 14 experts listed below were working in duty stations dealing with activities under strengthening strategic planning capacities in Municipalities and Governorships of DGES related to migration.

In addition to these experts, 13 experts were on board in duty stations dealing with activities under pilot projects, visibility and public awareness, HR and training activities. The work dates and workplaces of the experts are as follows:

Activities in progress

Data collection and analysis

Finalisation and review/refinement of data tables containing general demographic and socio-economic data, at mahalle level, for the four project cities.
Needs analysis of in migrants (field studies)

Implementation of the field surveys in Gaziantep, Şanliurfa and Erzurum (six field survey coordinators and Derya Dostlar, overall coordination from main office in Diyarbakir, in cooperation with Social Statistician and Survey Experts, field coordinators and project management in Ankara).

Preparation of detailed planning and specific research tools for focus groups (Social Statistician and Survey Experts) is ongoing...

Necessary training programme was provided with regard to data entry. Data entries have been started and being reported on weekly basis (Weekly entry reports -in Turkish- by 26.12.2008 and 02.01.2009 is attached herewith).

The progress with regard to field survey has been shared with SEP group members in Gaziantep and Erzurum and expected to be materialized in Şanlıurfa by early January.
Review of existing strategic plan of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and Special Provincial Administration of Diyarbakır Governorate

The above review has been completed by Senior Strategic Planning Expert and the prepared note will be send to beneficiaries by early January.
Review of policy framework and programatic documents related to current or upcoming national government (GAP Action Plan/SODES) and/or EC-funded assistance for regional/local development and the development of human resources in Turkey

With a view to prepare a note to be used as an input in the development of Strategic Action Plans and the identification of activities and projects which can be eligible for funding under such instruments and programmes in the coming years is in progress. It is planned to share the initial outputs with SEP group members in the forthcoming SEP group meetings.
PCM Refresher Training and Evaluation

Further to Project Cycle Management Trainings that were held late November in 3 provinces (Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Erzurum), a refresher training and is planned and carried out in 2 provinces (Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa) during this period. A scale for the evaluation of the PCM training programmes has been developed and used.
Preparation and logistics of a Provincial Conference on “Social Service Delivery” and “informative seminar for media” in Şanlıurfa.

Preparatory work has been carried out which involved drafting the programme, invitation of participants and resource people, logistics arrangements, visibility materials preparation, drafting of news bulletins etc.
Pilot projects management plans

The work on preparation of Pilot Project Management Plans was continued. Gaziantep and Erzurum PPMPs were made ready for final review. Diyarbakır PPMP is on the pipeline.
Piloting provision of social services counselling services

In line with supporting better management of PPs has been continuing in Gaziantep within “Indigent House” where elderly care services are being provided. A new archive system within the PP is operational this reporting period. 2 new forms namely “family interview form” and “patient monitoring form” have been developed.
Client tracking system

Further to the preparation of an initial framework for the client tracking system, draft forms were prepared for a common needs analysis study. The referred forms were distributed to the beneficiaries, feedbacks received and common needs analysis study has been started.

“OPEN FORUM”was organized in Şanlıurfa within the scope of EKOSEP…

Municipality, Governorate, Harran University and CSOs came together within the hospitality of Şanlıurfa Municipality and discussed “Migration and the negative effects of Migration for the women”
Deputy Mayor of Şanlıurfa Municipality and EKOSEP Senior Programme Officer Mr. Fevzi Yücetepe said that they adopted the Social Municipality approach and they will increase the number of the social services through opening women, youth and vocational training centers especially starting from the neighborhoods where migration flows are so evident related to this approach...

Open Forum on “Migration and Social Problems of Women” within the scope of the training programme of EKOSEP (Economic and Social Integration Project in Major In-Migrant Destinations) implemented with the collaboration of Şanlıufa Municipality and Şanlıurfa Governorate was conducted on 29.11.2008 under the facilitation of Yıldız Tokman in Şanlıurfa Municipality Assembly Hall.

Deputy Mayor of Şanlıurfa Municipality and EKOSEP Senior Programme Officer Mr. Fevzi Yücetepe, Lecturers from Harran University, Provincial National Education Director, a representative from a law society, members of EKOSEP Project Coordination Unit, President of Local Agenda 21 Women Assembly, members of Yaşam Evi Women Solidarity Association, President of Turkish University Graduate Women’s Association, a member from Support for Contemporary Living Association, President of Women Commission of Provincial General Assembly, Coordinator of United Nations Common Programme, EKOSEP Provincial Coordinator and EKOSEP Human Resource Development and Training Key Expert Mrs. Ayşe Saltan participated to the Forum.

Mr. Fevzi Yücetepe made the opening speech and stated that the people in here came together for identifying a participatory social policy framework for the province, as the Municipality, they increased their works for the removal of the social problems related to intense migration flows and they tried to accelerate to find solution for this kind of problems with the help of extensive projects like EKOSEP. Mr. Yücetepe continued his words and stated that a mentality change was being experienced in the field of Social Municipality and emphasized that this issue was impacted positively by various several social projects and explained the forthcoming activities to be implemented in Women Support Centers within Hayati Harrani and Süleymaniye neighborhoods, Vocational Training and Youth Centers.

In general, Social Problems in the province and for some specific cases social problems that women experienced discussed within the forum and social service provision within the place and the difficulties of seasonal migration through social service provision were emphasized. The phenomenon of mobile temporary seasonal workers, Access to education and its impacts on the percentages of the schooling of girls, the impacts of microcredit projects on strengthening the women and the impacts of the studies for women was emphasized to be increased through inter-institutional collaboration and the contributions of CSOs.

The participants, staff of the Governorate, Municipality, University and CSOs found the chance to share their complementary activities with each other and decided to increase their collaborations.