The GAP (South-East Anatolia Project) and Women in Irrigation

GAP is a globally recognized multi-sectoral, integrated project in Turkey, which aims at the overall socioeconomic development of south-east Anatolia. It covers approximately 10% of the country and includes two major rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris, which have helped humanity throughout history develop several civilizations in the lands between and around them- commonly known as "the Fertile Crescent" or Mesopotamia. Other than high dams, hydropower plants and irrigation schemes, the project is involved with a variety of socioeconomic domains from education, health and housing, to transportation, tourism and industry, in both urban and rural areas. In this way, it is expected to initiate changes that will affect Turkey as a whole. To maintain popular participation and sustainability in this government imposed project and to improve the status of women in the region, multi-purpose community centres (CATOM) are established in poor neighbourhoods of cities and in villages. CATOM, as an exclusively women's organization for those aged 14 to 50, aims at raising the level of consciousness, education and training of women in income-generating activities so as to help them attain a higher status in society. At present, there are 17 CATOMs in the region, providing the women with the necessary knowledge and skills that the changes GAP has invoked require. As such, CATOMs present themselves as an avenue through which one will soon begin to see women actively involved in irrigation, which traditionally is 'men's job' in the region. This project has just started and its success will further integrate women into the development process thereby increasing their social status as 'trained professionals' and ascertaining the sustainability of the irrigation scheme.