Women and Child Friendly Mobile Space Project

At IPUD, we set out to make a difference in the lives of women and children working in cotton fields. Hand in hand with the Turkish Red Crescent, we successfully completed our "Women and Child Friendly Mobile Area" project in Şanlıurfa.

What was our goal?

We wanted to improve the living and working conditions of seasonal workers in the fields. Specifically:

To make women feel more empowered and knowledgeable,
Children should be in school and safe spaces instead of working in the fields.
We aimed to raise awareness among our farmers regarding occupational safety and children's rights.

What have we done?

With our specially prepared "Mobile Field" vehicle, we visited fields and villages. We carried out the following trainings and activities in 28 different villages in Şanlıurfa:

For Children and Young People:

Child Protection and Rights: Awareness campaigns focusing on keeping children safe and aware of their rights.
Hygiene and Healthy Eating: Use of clean water, handwashing habits, and education on proper nutrition.
Privacy Awareness: Special seminars on children protecting their personal boundaries.
Values Education and Psychosocial Support: Workshops that support the emotional development of adolescents and children.

For Women:

Upcycling Workshops: Recycling household waste and transforming it into new products.
Reproductive Health and Self-Care: Information and guidance programs on women's health.
Mentorship Program: Support aimed at empowering women in social and economic life.

For Farmers and Agricultural Workers:

Decent Work: Fair working conditions and basic rights in the sector.
Combating Child Labor: Awareness campaigns to keep children away from farms and direct them towards education.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Measures to protect health during spraying, fertilization, and general work in the field.

What have we learned?

Our fieldwork has shown us that going directly to people with a vehicle is a very effective method. Although reaching some fields was difficult, we overcame the obstacles thanks to the trust our farmers and women placed in us.

What's next?

Our project ended in August 2025, but our journey is not over. We continue to forge new partnerships and work to bring this successful model to more fields and more people.

For detailed information: www.pamuktaisgucu.com