ASSOCIATION FOR SUPPORT OF WOMEN CANDIDATES/ KA.DER

www.ka-der.org.tr – kader@ka-der.org.tr

Association for Support of Women Candidates (KA.DER) defends equal representation
of women and men in all fields of life. KA.DER sees equal representation as a
precondition of democracy and calls for equal representation in all elected and appointed
decision making positions.

Turkish women are successfully represented in many fields of social life but they are still underrepresented in decision making bodies. Underrepresentation of women is most evident in politics.

Founded in March 1997, KA.DER aims to increase the number of women in politics and in decision making positions so as to the achieve equal representation of women and men. KA.DER believes the different experience and capabilities of women should also be reflected in social and political issues.

Assessing politics as the crucial area where change is most urgently needed and believing that politics will open the way to equal representation in all other fields, KA.DER has set its priority as reaching equal representation in the political arena.

KA.DER aims:

*To raise awareness on equality between women and men to counter male domination in social and political life
*To eliminate economic, social, cultural and legal obstacles which women politicians face,
*To have positive discrimination articles for women in laws and parties by-laws to secure equal representation in decision making bodies,
*To empower women in general, to encourage them to become candidates for executive boards and to have them become visible in their fields of work,
*To strengthen cooperation and collaboration among women in political parties, to have them and the women s movement act in cooperation on issues concerning women,
*to carry lobbying, advocacy, campaigning, organizing, solidarity and training activities.
Principles
*To be against all kinds of discrimination.
*To keep equal distance to all legally recognized political parties.
*To work together with all the women branches and women parliamentarians of political parties at an equal distance and in line with its targets.
*To reflect and expand the feminist consciousness in all its activities.
*To work to integrate gender equality in all policies and programs.

The organization

KA.DER members and executives are women—party member or non– who know and accept KA.DER principles, and the feminist outlook. They carry on their KA.DER their activities within the equal distance principle and without involving/imposing their own political views in these activities.

KA.DER executives are elected to office at its General Convention held once in two years. KA.DER executives can be members of political parties but they do not involve/impose their party s views in KA.DER activities. KA.DER president cannot be a party member.

Rotation is applied in KA.DER boards. No elected member in any KA.DER board can serve more than two terms.

KA.DER has branches, representatives and initiative groups all over Turkey.

KA.DER runs projects, carries trainings and other lobying and advocacy activities all over the country and works in cooperation with other women organizations in line with its targets.

KA.DER Projects

KA.DER carries out projects on the following subjects: Gender equality,Women s rights, Empowering women, Laws, Politics with Gender Perspective, Citizenship, Elections and Candidacy Processes, Democracy, Equality ,Participation and related issues.

KA.DER Publications

KA.DER has 31 publications plus brochures, bulletins and newsletters all of which are published in Turkish.

An important KA.DER publication in English is: The Position of Women in Turkey and in The European Union: Achievements, Problems, Prospects (Fatmagül Berktay, İnci Özkan Kerestecioğlu, Sevgi Uçan Çubukçu, Özlem Terzi, Zeynep Kıvılcım Forsman, 2004, İstanbul)

Addres : İrfan Baştuğ Sk. Yuva 5 Apartmanı 15/7 Esentepe / İstanbul
Phone : 0212 273 25 35
Fax : 0212 273 25 36
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KADER-Kad%C4%B1n-Adaylar%C4%B1-Destekleme-Derne%C4%9Fi/802006146497578?fref=ts
Twitter : https://twitter.com/KA_DER