Institutional Training Programs Launched for Gender Equality

Within the scope of its Local Equality Action Plan, Bornova Municipality has launched the Women’s Human Rights Education Program (KİHEP) to strengthen women’s access to rights-based knowledge and to mainstream gender equality within the institution. The program will provide weekly training sessions on different themes to an initial group of municipal employees through March. Mayor Ömer Eşki emphasized that KİHEP is a significant step toward reinforcing an equality-based service approach in Bornova.

The first session of the Women’s Human Rights Education Program, implemented by the Bornova Municipality Directorate of Women and Family Services, was held at the Nevzat Kavalar Cultural Center. The program aims to increase women’s access to rights-based information, strengthen gender equality at the institutional level, and promote an egalitarian approach in local governance.

KİHEP is designed to raise awareness of women’s human rights, enable women to recognize their rights, and empower them to use these rights effectively in all areas of life. The program offers comprehensive content covering gender equality, equality between women and men, legal rights, communication, mechanisms for protection from violence, economic rights, and the right to participation.

A different theme every week, a shared goal: an egalitarian local government

As part of the program, the first group—composed of staff from different municipal departments—will participate in weekly KİHEP sessions on different topics until March. The initiative aims both to empower female employees and to disseminate an equality-based perspective throughout the municipal organization.

Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki described KİHEP as an important project for social transformation in Bornova, stating:
“Strengthening women’s access to human rights and making equality sustainable at the local level are among our top priorities. KİHEP will both enhance our municipality’s institutional capacity and bring an equality-oriented perspective to all of our services. In Bornova, no woman will remain unaware of her rights.”