CSO WORKSHOP ON CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION TO THE
DRAFTING OF THE LEGISLATION ON ANTI DISCRIMINATION AND
EQUALITY
Agenda
09:30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 10:15 Opening Speech – Ayça Bulut Bican, Resident Advisor, TACSO-‐Turkey 10:15 – 11:15 Sharing Session:
Process of drafting of the legislation on anti discrimination and equality (2009-‐2014)
Feray Salman, Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP)
11:15 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00 General discussion:
Positive and negative factor affecting the process of drafting of the legislation on anti discrimination and equality from the perspective of civil society
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 16:30 Group work:
Identification of actions for the participation of civil society to the process of drafting of the legislation on anti discrimination and equality
16:30 – 16:45 Coffee break
16:45 – 18:00 Plenary:
-‐ Sharing of outcomes of group work
-‐ Grouping and gathering in a list of actions suggested -‐ Alignment of actions and planning
About the workshop
This activity is organized in the context of the TACSO Project targets on promoting active participation of CSOs to policy making and legislative processes and improving the legislative framework that has its bearing on the achievement of their mission.
The work on the Framework Legislation on Anti Discrimination and Ensuring Equality is directly related to the essential mission of many CSOs and civil movements active in this field and further, it is also critical for fundamental rights that have its significant place in Turkey’s accession to the EU.
The CSO Workshop related to the legislation on anti discrimination and ensuring equality intends to contribute to the following objectives:
• Ensuring that CSOs and civil movements share their past and recent work on anti discrimination and equality.
• Contributing to the visibility and recognition of civil movements in the field of anti discrimination and equality.
• Establishing a joint CSO position/stance for civil society on the basis of CSO work in the field of anti discrimination and equality.
• Developing an action plan to take part in the process of drafting which is expected to start soon in legislative process.
• Contributing to the creation of cooperation and networks among participating organizations.
The activity was organized jointly by TACSO-‐Turkey, its Local Advisory Group members Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Studies and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP) and Women’s Group of Equality Monitoring and took place for one full day in Ankara on 23 December 2014.
Methodology
The workshop aimed at sharing past experiences related to civil participation to the drafting of the Legislation on Anti Discrimination and Equality, identifying negative and positive factors presently affecting civil participation, and on the basis of this information, developing a relevant action plan.
The meeting was designed so as to proceed in three stages.
At the first stage İHOP outlined experiences of the legislative process upon which participants recollected their specific experiences and shared information. Also, participants shared their experiences related to the legislative process concerned, the presence of civil society in this process and in legislative processes in general.
Then, in a plenary discussion, participants addressed existing negative and positive factors related to legislative action and evaluated associated opportunities and threats. This discussion clarified fundamental points to be considered in the action plan to be developed in relation to civil participation.
Finally, participants were engaged in group work to develop suggestions for participating to the legislative process on Legislation on Anti Discrimination and Equality and came up with a joint action plan after discussing these suggestions in the plenary session.
Experiences in civil participation to legislative processes
In her short presentation on behalf of İHOP, Feray Salman summarized the process of work related to the Legislation on Anti Discrimination and Ensuring Equal Rights since 2009 and informed the audience about steps taken for civil participation. Salman compared the draft developed in 2009 together with the Anti-‐ Discrimination Group through a participatory approach to the draft made public by the Ministry of Interior in 2010 and gave information about initiatives taken since 2012 to re-‐start the process that had been stopped in 2010. According to the statement made in July 2014 by the Ministry of Interior, the draft is now reads for submission to the Prime Ministry.
During and after the presentation of İHOP participants found opportunity to share their experiences relating both to this particular draft and legislation process in general.
Factors affecting civil participation to legislative processes
Participants engaged in a general discussion and focused on factors that may negatively or positively affect legislative processes. Points raised are as follows:
-‐ In earlier processes, the time period given to submit opinions on the draft was too short. In the case of Legislation on Anti Discrimination and Equality there may be no such period for submitting opinions at all.
-‐ It is important to check the draft for its compliance with other legislation enacted particularly after 2011. In the same vein, there is also need to consider some other international conventions (i.e. Convention on the Rights of the Child) that Turkey is a State Party –with some reservations.
-‐ Methodologies and strategies that helped in civil participation and emergence of good practices in the past may not yield the same results in present day conditions.
By discussing in detail each point in the context of possible opportunities and/or risks and threats, participants identified points that should be taken into account while working on the action plan.
Development of an action plan
The second half of the day was allocated to the development of an action plan for civil participation to the process of drafting Legislation on Anti Discrimination and Equality.
During group work, participants were asked to develop their suggestions for action by using the framework given below:
Activity/Action 2015 In charge Funding/Financial Support
Opportunities Ja n. Fe b. Ma r. Ni s. Ma y. Ju ne Tem . Au g. Se pt . Oc t. No v. De c.
Suggestions developed by three groups were discussed and grouped under specific headings in the plenary session and a final set of actions was reached by merging similar activities are grouped as follows:
-‐ Dissemination of information
-‐ Creating a network bringing together relevant CSOs -‐ Campaign work
-‐ Lobbying
Finally, CSOs to be in charge of suggested actions were identified and the planning work was completed. It was decided to prepare a position statement in the context of the plan, launch a campaign on civil participation and set up mechanisms to ensure effective sharing of information.
Participants
Organization City
Bianet İstanbul
Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP) Ankara
İstanbul Bilgi University Human Rights Law Centre İstanbul Education and Solidarity Foundation of People with
Disabilities (ÖZEV) Ankara
Dom Tribe Demolishers and Junkman Association Hatay
Hrant Dink Foundation İstanbul
İzmir Black Pink Triangle İzmir Association İzmir
Purple Roof Women’s Shelter Foundation İstanbul
EU Delegation to Turkey Ankara
Agenda Child Ankara
Civil Society Development Centre (STGM) Ankara
Women’s Group for Monitoring Equality (Eşitiz) İstanbul
Organisation for Living Area (YAŞAD) Ankara
Ankara Branch of Association for Supporting Woman
Candidates (Ankara) Ankara
Association for Solidarity with Youth Deprived of Freedom
(Öz-‐Ge Der) Ankara
Organization City
Karakutu (Black Box) Association İstanbul
Association of Monitoring for Equal Rights (ESHİD) İstanbul
Association of Women with Disabilities (ENKAD) Ankara
Federation of Caucasian Associations (KAFFED) Ankara
Pink Life LGBTT Solidarity Association Ankara
Women’s Coalition Ankara
Dom Tribe Cultural Research, Development, Social
Assistance and Solidarity Association Hatay
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Studies and Solidarity
Association (Kaos GL) Ankara
Amnesty International-‐Turkey Ankara
Roma Rights Forum (ROMFO) Ankara
