As part of the United Nations Joint Programme to Protect and Promote the Human Rights of Women and Girls (UNJP), participatory workshops took place in the six Programme cities to create Local Equality Action Plans. One of the major targets reached through these plans is to establish a perspective of gender equality in the provision of urban services, make them widespread, establish it as an integral part of the local governments and urban ser-vices.

One of the support projects of the UNJP, in line with this target to become a Women Friendly City is the ‘Improvement and Redesign of Urban Services.’ This support project aims to work in cooperation with local go-vernments to engage in creating women friendly locations.

The Pilot Workshop Van recently took place with the participation of third year students of Bilkent University’s Landscape Architecture and Urban Design department, as well as UNJP staff, consultants and representatives from local governments, with an interactive programme.

During the preparation stage of the Pilot Workshop Van, urban design projects that propose urban locations where women would be more comfortable, safe, social, with equal opportunities, and that are sustainable were generated. The premise was to be able to design projects that would:

- Incorporate academic perspective and technical expertise into the Joint Programme,

- Make use of the creativity and innovative approach of the students,

- Establish cooperation and coordination of various agencies,

- Bring to life principles that would function as the underlying principles of what a Women Friendly City is, and

- Generate gender-sensitive projects.

The Workshop was completed in two stages. The first stage took place in Bilkent University Landscape Architecture and Urban Design department in Ankara on May 10, 2007. The students were informed about the UNJP and a review of the trainings in the Programme cities was given by the Ministry of Interior UNJP National Director Mustafa Çöğgün, UNJP Manager Nevin Şenol, project consultants and Pilot Workshop Van managers Dr. Deniz Altay and Yıldız Tokman. The Workshop was mode-rated by Bilkent University academics, Dr. Dilek Cindoğlu, Dr. Emine İncirlioğlu and Dr. Tijen Sonkan, where discussions were facilitated among students on Women Friendly Cities.

The second stage took place in the pilot city Van on 26-28 May, 2007, with Dr. Deniz Altay and Yıldız Tokman as facilitators, and 13 students, Van Deputy Mayor Mahmut Ergüç, Parks and Gardens Director Nevzat İnanç, Transportation Services Director Yusuf Coşar, Public Works Deputy Director Hakan Özkök, Zelal Özgökçe from Van Women’s Association, Beyhan Tunçekin from Mavigöl Women’s Association, Yüksel Kaya from Sevgi Women’s Association and UNJP Van Local Facilitator Ayşe Sargın as participants.

The interactive structure of the Workshop facilitated the participants to come up with two areas of project implementation. One of these was a ‘park area’ that would be an answer the lack of open leisure spaces in certain neighborhoods (specifically State Railways Housing Neighborhood Park). The other one was an ‘Arts Street,’ a street design for women to be able to make use of the city center more comfortably and easily.

In the end of the Workshop, the two outputs were the field analyses, which included identification of the problems, taking photos, interviews, filming, etc., and preparation of the project plans. Following the analyses, the students set the design principles for the two project areas and generated pro-ject alternatives.

Problems of women and urban problems specific to Van were the major focal points during the project planning stage. The geographic and climatic structure of the city were other areas of consideration. The project team designed four projects of diffe-ring scales in the two areas.

The students began presenting their project proposals to a jury on May 28. These productive presentations were made to a jury consisting of officials from Van Municipality and representatives from local women’s NGOs, each offering different perspectives and commentary.

The project proposals prepared by the students offer detailed proposals for women to be able to use urban servi-ces more, and for the cities to become safer places for women.

Here is a list of some of the proposals:

- Plans for handicrafts market and stand design,

- Lighting projects for being able to use the project areas more safely in the dark,

- Proposals for a list of plants suitable to the climate of the region, use of water for decorative purposes (ponds, fountains),

- Designs attractive to children for encouraging women’s more frequent use,

- Proposals for floor covering that would enable easier and safer walking, and prevent icing,

- Designs for closed locations for diffe-rent uses,

- Locations for various activities, sports, leisure, and performances,

- Aesthetic focus, conservation of historical and traditional locations,

- Economic solutions that are environment-friendly and that make use of local material,

- Alternative solutions with stairs, walls and slopes, alternative roads,

- Conservation projects that take into consideration the geographic structure of the region (i.e. streams, channels, hills, etc.).

 Pilot Workshop Van was a successful and productive activity, showing the importance of:

- How short-term detailed solutions can pioneer changes in long-term vision,

- Discussing solutions to problems through ready and concrete project samples, and

- For young people to think about an equal society and develop ideas accordingly.

The Pilot Workshop Van ended with a speech made by Parks and Gardens Director Nevzat İnanç. Having commented some constructive criticism on and incorporating a local look at the developed projects, İnanç said that the projects could very well be implemented with slight changes, and ended the Workshop congratulating the young participants.

Similar activities within the Joint Programme will assist in more extensive implementation of the Programme in the pilot cities..