Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ Group is preparing the 2024-30 Gender Strategy Update. The Update will help accelerate equality and empowerment for all, and guide governments and the private sector on scalable, adaptable solutions that help everyone reach their full potential. The Update to the Strategy is an opportunity to listen and learn from stakeholders¡¯ experiences, exchange ideas and build consensus on the directions going forward. This interview is part of a series of activities planned as part of the broader engagement with stakeholders.
The interviewees took part in the Gender Pre-Consultation Meeting which was held in Istanbul between 9-12 November 2022 as part of their role in the project Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish Citizens in Selected Localities (P165687).
The project: Between August 2020 and December 2021, four social cooperatives for Syrian refugee women and host community¡¯s marginalized women were established in four Turkish cities: Ankara, ?zmir, ?stanbul and Mersin. These cooperatives were launched to create quality jobs, employment opportunities and contribute to skilled labor in Turkiye under the World Bank project Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP) and Turkish Citizens in Selected Localities. Funds for this project are provided by the European Union.
All the interviewees are an active contributor of Social Entrepreneurship Community of Practice (SECoP) in Turkiye which was established under the Bank project (P165687) with the aim of (a) creating a structure for knowledge exchange with Government counterparts and other key stakeholders to contribute the development of social enterprise sector, (b) bring together the four pilot women-led social cooperatives established under the same project to share operational knowledge in addressing implementation challenges.
Remarks in the interviews highlight 1) implementation experience that involves job creation of women through social entrepreneurship; (2) challenges in supporting labor market integration of SuTP and vulnerable host community women in the social entrepreneurship sector.
IDEMA has been contracted under the project (P165687) to establish the women-led social cooperative AHENK in Mersin operating in the local food production sector with members from Turkish and refugee communities.
Interviewee¡¯s engagement with the Bank through SECoP
IDEMA/ AHENK is a Core Group member in the SECoP and contributor to regional platform discussions carried out by the WB and UNHCR. With some distinct implementation experiences that involve high-level visibility efforts (collaboration with UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and high-profile nutritionist) and agile business operations (adaptation of its business model to local realities during Covid to ensure the livelihood of its members), IDEMA has demonstrated good practices for all SECoP members.