The Çember Civil Initiative Association (Çember Sivil İnisiyatif Derneği) works to advance gender equality by empowering women, creating safe spaces, and expanding civil space through a feminist lens.
With support from our Gender Equality Fund, the association plays a key role in post-earthquake recovery in Adıyaman – building a local women’s network named after Fortuna, the female figure of Mount Nemrut, and offering tailored workshops on gender equality and women’s rights.
You founded the Çember Civil Initiative Association in 2024. What prompted you to establish a new organisation, and how would you describe your work?
We are a team that took initiative, and arrived in Kahramanmaraş by the third week after the earthquake. Our strength came from years of experience in civil society and the women’s movement. By the tenth month after the earthquake, we had gained even more insight. More importantly, we were still active in the field—and surrounded by women who wanted to get involved and become part of this “çember” (circle).
Forming an organisation and expanding this circle felt like a responsibility, both to ourselves and to those women. There is always a need for women’s organising, particularly from a feminist perspective.
Only through women’s organising can we become stronger in the face of crises—especially at the local level.
What are the main issues you focus on? In what context does our Gender Equality Fund support your work?
We are a women’s organisation still finding our way. We emerged from a crisis—we were founded after the earthquake—so crises are at the core of our work: disasters, poverty, inequality. We believe women’s organising is the only way to respond to these challenges effectively. Creating strong local structures is especially critical.
Our work has several dimensions. We aim to empower women in civil society, create safe spaces, and strengthen local women’s organisations in disaster preparedness and response. At the same time, we engage in advocacy and support institutional capacity-building. We aim to do all these simultaneously, because we believe this is how we build a resilient society and a foundation for equitable, just development.
How did your experiences following the 6 February 2023 earthquakes shape your perspective and work in civil society? What insights did you gain at the intersection of disaster response and women’s rights?
It was a powerful experience that tested our capacity and showed us what we were capable of. We also witnessed how women could emerge stronger from such a crisis. The earthquake revealed the immense scale of women’s role in sustaining and rebuilding life.
This insight reinforced our motivation to stay active in civil society. In fact, it no longer felt like a choice but a necessity. We realised we had to share and amplify this experience.
Your organisation is based in Eskişehir, but your project is being implemented in Adıyaman. How do local differences in places like Eskişehir and Adıyaman affect civil society dynamics and the kinds of solutions needed?
There is a general perception that women’s participation and organising are stronger in western Türkiye and weaker in the east. But what we’ve observed is that the real difference lies in general attitudes.
In Adıyaman, there have been few efforts around women’s empowerment—but there is a clear openness and willingness to engage. In contrast, in Eskişehir, institutions are more aware and responsive to gender equality, but there is little grassroots organising. There is no active women’s organisation in the city—despite the need for one.
Both places offer different experiences that can complement each other, and this mutual enrichment has been valuable for us as well.
Fortuna Women’s Network brought together key actors in a city that hasn’t yet returned to normal.
What is the main goal of the Fortuna Women’s Network project? Can you tell us more about the activities planned and why you chose Adıyaman? What are your observations on gender equality in the city?
We started working in Adıyaman shortly after the earthquake, and one of our most important efforts has been building solidarity among local women professionals and organisations. Women in disaster zones face unique, often overlooked challenges, and we saw that long-term change could only happen through solidarity and collective action.
The Fortuna Women’s Network was born out of this need. Our goal is to create a collaborative space for anyone working on women’s rights in Adıyaman—civil society organisations, volunteers, students, or professionals. Strengthening civil space and encouraging participation are at the heart of our work. We also value institutional partnerships and are working closely with Adıyaman Municipality and the Bar Association to increase the network’s impact.
Adıyaman was already a challenging environment for women’s participation in social, economic, and political life. The earthquakes intensified existing barriers: deteriorating living conditions in container homes, increased domestic burdens and violence, reduced access to healthcare, and deepening poverty—particularly among women. The Fortuna Network aims to respond to these challenges by mobilising civil society and building lasting partnerships.
Can you share some of the activities you’ve carried out so far under the project?
Our initial goal was to establish the Fortuna Women’s Network by the end of a one-year programme. But the need was so urgent that the idea was quickly embraced—especially by women in civil society and the Adıyaman Bar Association. We’ve already seen the emergence of a group identifying itself as the Fortuna Women’s Network.
One key moment was during the UN Women’s “16 Days of Activism” campaign. Together, we organised joint events and supported one another’s activities. This strengthened our collective motivation and showed what was possible through collaboration.
Fortuna’s greatest contribution will be creating a space where women can find and implement solutions together.
What kind of long-term impact do you hope the Fortuna Women’s Network will have in Adıyaman?
We believe the network’s most significant impact will be providing women with a safe space where they can identify and solve their own challenges. It aims to build a strong foundation for mutual support and collective action.
Making this network permanent in Adıyaman will help increase women’s visibility in public life and support their efforts to overcome the issues they face. We’ve seen the critical role of solidarity in the aftermath of the earthquake. The Fortuna Women’s Network aims to transform that solidarity into a sustainable platform that enables women to take part in shaping their city’s future.
The project takes its name from Fortuna—the only female figure among the statues of Mount Nemrut. A symbol of feminine strength, she inspires this collective effort.
Can you tell us about the organisations you’ve collaborated and built solidarity with while implementing this project in Adıyaman?
From the start, we’ve made a conscious effort to engage with all actors on the ground and include them in our Network. This collaborative spirit grew out of the culture of solidarity that formed in the aftermath of the earthquake, particularly through the Adıyaman Civil Society Solidarity Group, which remains active to this day.
Today, nearly all relevant civil society organisations and local initiatives are part of our network. We work closely with groups and organisations such as Gökyüzü Şutlayıcıları, Support to Life Association (Hayata Destek Derneği), Dayanışma İnsanları Derneği, KAMER Foundation, Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV), etc. We also signed protocols with both the Adıyaman Municipality and the Adıyaman Bar Association.
What kind of support do you need to continue your work in the field of gender equality and to develop new projects?
While preparing our first annual report, even we were amazed at how much we’ve accomplished in just one year. To stay focused and move forward with clarity, we’ve also developed a three-year strategic plan.
We’ve made it this far with very limited resources, and the support we received through the Gender Equality Fund has been a lifeline. We’re deeply grateful for the trust placed in us as a young organisation — and we’ve worked hard to earn that trust.
To sustain our work, we need more consistent support — not just short-term, project-based funding, but longer-term partnerships that align with our vision. That’s the kind of support that can create real, lasting impact.
In our first year, we also launched Çember Dükkan, a social enterprise aimed at generating income. Through Çember Dükkan, we offer locally made products and educational materials that promote gender equality. Shopping with us is a meaningful way to support our work and strengthen the local economy.
If we’ve sparked this desire to demand and defend one’s rights — then it is the beginning of real change.
How would you describe your work to someone who may want to support you?
One of our most meaningful experiences was supporting a group of women in temporary shelters who identified their needs, created their own project, and secured funding. Their next step—advocating for their rights and expanding shared spaces—was a powerful sign of transformation. They persuaded shelter management to expand shared social spaces. If we’ve sparked this desire to demand and defend one’s rights — then it is the beginning of real change.
We want to take this model of empowerment and expand it across Adıyaman. Our goal is to bring together institutions and communities to create safe, inclusive spaces for women. During the 16 Days of Activism, we saw how motivated local organisations were to collaborate, and how important these connections are.
Our aim now is to sustain this momentum, respond to evolving needs, and foster a culture of lasting solidarity; because, solidarity — truly seeing and hearing one another — is the only path to collective healing.
