Two separate focus group discussions were held on 8 and 23 February, to identify national and international policies and strategies that address disaster risk reduction approaches and activities from the perspective of fundamental rights.

Thanks to the meetings, we benefited from the experience and knowledge of our prominent institutions such as AFAD and the Red Crescent, international organisations and civil society on disasters in addition to our stakeholders in fundamental rights.

The issues noted in the meetings were reflected in a mapping exercise.

The Guide and Checklist on Disaster Management Responsive to Fundamental Rights and Gender Equality was based on a review of international humanitarian standards, national strategies and action plans, as well as feedback from disaster and emergency actors in focus group discussions held as part of the project.

In the first part of the Guide, the main principles, policy- and strategy-level and cross-cutting issues in disaster management are highlighted.

In the second part, activities for integrating the perspective of women, children, elderly and disability rights at every stage of disaster management are addressed.

In the checklists of the Guide, a user-friendly approach was adopted by providing an extensive list of verification questions for key activities for all work areas in terms of vulnerable groups.

Trainings on Disaster Management Responsive to Fundamental Rights and Gender Equality took place on 25-26 April, 2-3 May, and 7-8 May.

District Governors, Deputy Governors, AFAD provincial organisation officials, central and provincial organisation officials of the Ministry of Family and Social Services, representatives from relevant public institutions, municipalities and civil society organisations from different provinces took part in the trainings.

In the trainings, information on human rights based disaster risk reduction approaches and international frameworks and standards was provided and the importance of continuity of fundamental rights and services in disaster risk reduction activities and increasing social resilience from the perspective of vulnerable groups were emphasised.

Stakeholders of the Fundamental Rights Sector met at the Awareness-Raising Seminar on Disaster Management Responsive to Fundamental Rights and Gender Equality held on 29-30 April 2024.

In the seminar attended by 133 participants from 17 organisations, representatives of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, European Commission Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies made presentations on International Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Sendai Framework, Involvement of Stakeholders in Disaster Risk Reduction Processes, Disaster Resilience Goals and Inclusion Principles and Protection of Rights of Vulnerable Groups-Country Experiences. In addition, a panel on ‘Understanding Vulnerabilities and Involving Those Most at Risk, the Case of Türkiye’ was organised.

Strategy Document and Action Plan prepared within the scope of the “Implementing Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting in Türkiye Project” were introduced at the 2024 meeting of the Advisory Board.

16 strategies and 56 actions in defining, planning-budgeting, implementation and monitoring-auditing stages is included in the Strategy Document and Action Plan for Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting which will be implemented between 2024 and 2028.

The preparation of the projects that we prepared for women and children affected by the earthquake, in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, UNICEF and UN Women, has come to an end.

Contract documents for two projects worth a total of 28.5 million euros have been submitted to the contracting authority and preparations to sign the documents are continuing.

Projects involves activities such as reconstruction, strengthening and renovation of women’s shelters; deployment of social service infrastructure for children and establishing mobile teams for legal aid.

The activities of “Supporting the Effective Implementation of the Provisions of the Turkish Constitutional Court in the Field of Human Rights” project continues with a dense agenda.

Within the scope of the trainings   on “Individual Application Procedure to the Constitutional Court” organized for bar associations; sessions were held in Muş Bar Association (1-2 March), in Aksaray Bar Association (8-9 March), in Ankara Bar Association (15-16 March), in Adana Bar Association (19-20 April), in Izmir Bar Association (3-4 May) and in Sinop Bar Association (3-4 March).

Other activities organized involves; Workshop on Combating Violence Against Women in the Light of the Constitutional Court Judgements in Ankara on 6-7 February 2024, Training of Trainers on the Right to a Fair Trial on 21-24 February 2024, and an Individual Application Seminar to the Constitutional Court at Akdeniz University Faculty of Law on 22 February 2024.

Round Table meetings continued with the meeting held in Ankara on 29 March 2024.

The activities of the “Improving the Capacity of Lawyers and Bar Associations on Promotion, Protection and Monitoring of Children’s Rights” project, financed under 2020 Programming of the Fundamental Rights Sector, continues.

The project is implemented by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Symposium on “Access to Justice for Vulnerable Groups in Disasters” held in Adana on 19-20 April 2024.

The symposium provided a platform for the discussions on challenges faced in legal aid, facilitating access to justice, psycho-social support for vulnerable groups, child protection mechanisms, prevention of child abuse and field experiences regarding the 2023 earthquakes.

Directive sets measures to combat violence against women and domestic violence and standards for the protection of victims of these crimes. It is the first law in the EU concerning this issue.

Directive criminalizes female genital mutilation, forced marriage, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, cyber stalking, cyber harassment and cyber incitement to hatred or violence and it is foreseen that these crimes will be punishable by prison sentences ranging from at least one to five years.

The directive also includes aggravating circumstances and detailed rules regarding the assistance and protection measures that must be provided to victims.

Member states have three years from the entry into force of the directive to transpose it into national law.

The Recommendation adopted on strengthening and developing integrated child protection systems, a commitment in the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, aims to provide support to member states in strengthening their child protection systems.

Recommendation includes key elements such as establishment of a general framework for integrated child protection systems, supporting member states in adapting their systems to protect any child from any form of violence, responding to children’s safety needs online and offline and prompting member states to adopt an integrated approach to protect children in their external action.

Directives, adopted on 7 May 2024, are the first binding EU legislation that include minimum standards for equality bodies across the EU.

Two new directives, which include similar minimum standards although the area that they regulate differs from each other, establish common EU-wide minimum requirements for equality bodies established to promote equal treatment, combat discrimination and offer assistance to victims.

After the publication of the directives in the EU’s Official Journal, member states will have two years to adapt their national legislation to the provisions of the directives.

The European Media Freedom Act is the first EU Regulation to protect media independence and pluralism, and introduces safeguards to combat political interference in editorial decisions and to protect journalists.

The act includes common rules for media services in order to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market, and establishes “European Board for Media Services” to monitor the implementation of the rules within the scope of the act.