Project: Monitoring and Influencing the Central Budget by Civic Empowerment
Evaluation Date: February 2012
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The involvement of the grantee and its partners in initiatives with specific local government units in Turkey stimulated interest on the part of mayors and senior local officials in the ideas promoted by the project, as well as with the leadership of the Urban Councils and Women’s Assemblies. This increased interest contributed to the project’s effectiveness through strengthening links between the municipal executive and the Urban Councils, and, in some cases, closer consultation on budgetary matters.

Theme: Interaction with government
Project: Monitoring and Influencing the Central Budget by Civic Empowerment
Evaluation Date: February 2012
Report: [report link]
Lesson Learned:

The decision to add a gender equality component to the project by providing special training to Women’s Assemblies reflected the recognition of a significant capacity gap in local civil society in Turkey. Working through the Urban Councils and Women’s Assemblies, the project lobbied municipal authorities to establish municipal Equality Commissions as sub-committees of elected municipal councils.. All five pilot municipalities have now either set up, or are planning to set up, Equality Commissions.

Theme: Interaction with government