Türkiye has continued to reinforce access to justice for women and vulnerable groups, fight against money laundering and foster digital citizenship education with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe through their joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
Hundreds of women have gained access to gender-sensitive legal aid; Social workers and migration professionals improved their ability to provide legal aid and protect human rights; Financial authorities increased their capacity to identify risks and apply anti-money laundering measures effectively; and innovative digital citizenship tools have been piloted in schools, engaging teachers, students and parents.
These are some of the achievements that demonstrate how tailored support is translating into sustainable impact for Türkiye’s citizens.
Opening the meeting, Demet ÖZKAN BALTAT, Head of Department of Political Affairs, Directorate for the European Union, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye said “As a founding member, the Council of Europe is Türkiye’s key partner in advancing fundamental rights and implementing reforms.”
Jean BARBÉ, Head of Governance Section, Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye said “Today we celebrate the strong partnership between the EU, the Council of Europe and Türkiye in four governance areas that are key for social cohesion and international role of Türkiye: [i] women’s access to justice; [ii] human rights and protection of migrants; [iii] fight against money laundering and [iv] digital citizenship education.”
Schnutz DÜRR, Head of Programming Department, Directorate of Programme Co-ordination, Council of Europe noted that the Council of Europe reaffirms its commitment to accompanying Türkiye in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. “Maintaining strong co-operation and working to ensure the sustainability of the actions undertaken by all partners is key to consolidating and sustaining the programme’s outcomes.”
The meeting also provided a platform for Turkish institutions, national partners and civil society representatives to exchange experiences and lessons learned from ongoing co-operation. Discussions focused on ensuring the sustainability of project results, enhancing inter-institutional co-operation, and further promoting equality and human rights.
Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, and the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, among others, participated in the event.
The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a co-operation initiative between the European Union and the Council of Europe, the third phase of which is running from 2023 to 2026. The programme supports Beneficiaries in meeting their reform agendas in human rights, rule of law, and democracy, aligning with European standards and priorities for EU enlargement.
