Civil enthusiasm. December 2007 Issue 10

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1 STGM local support centres are now active The local support centres of STGM are now active in Adana, Denizli, Diyarbakır and Eskişehir. Sign the Kyoto, Stop Global Warming The STGM extended its first campaign support in the new phase to the Global Action Group. Bülent Deniz of Consumers Association: Organized individual is civilized individual and organised consumer is conscious consumer. December 2007 Issue 10 ISSN Bulletin of Supporting Civil Society Development and Dialogue in Turkey project implemented by STGM and supported by the European Commission. Published every two months. Civil enthusiasm Our dream is easily understandable: We long for a strong and democratic civil society for our country. Is it too much? Of course not. When we say strong and democratic civil society we naturally refer to a society comprising active citizens who get organized to stand for their rights, take part in decision making processes, who are equipped with skills in dialogue and who design their own future. Since our very establishment, we have been planning and conducting our activities in line with the requirements of this dream. Still, while doing this, we developed the habit of looking back periodically to draw lessons from our earlier work. Though somewhat tiresome, this is one of the safest methods of ensuring renewal and dynamism. We strongly recommend it. After making a list of lessons we drew from the activities of preceding years, we have come up with a brand new plan of activities designed to make our dream come true. The ceremony for the launching of our project, which had actually started in August 2007 with the support of the European Commission, took place right after the 4th Advisory Board meeting held on October 19th. You will see it throughout the pages of Siviliz. Our local support centres are now active in four provincial centres based on the main idea of developing local solutions to local problems and instigating and supporting civil movement and activism at local level. Our capacity building programme has changed. We are trying to develop a strategy adopting gender-based approach. We are also planning for a NGO Festival where we can have some fun while getting to know some new people. Another campaign will be geared to encouraging organizations and getting organized. In our web site we now have a NGO Matchmaker facility to promote acquaintance and relations between European NGOs and those in Turkey. In addition to these, some new books will be published in Our support to civil networks and small-scale campaigns will continue. The announcement regarding the grant scheme targeting NGOs in our target group will be released early in It is quite a pleasure to share a dream and work for its realisation. We hope our enthusiasm in work makes itself manifest in our outputs as well... Only STGM is responsible for the content of this publication which does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

2 Local support centres to function as NGO facilitators The STGM local support centres aiming to extend central services more effectively to local NGOs in Adana, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Eskişehir and neighbouring provinces will continue their activities in line with specific needs of these organizations. All local NGOs, including those active in the fields of women, children, environment, rights of the disabled, human rights, gender, cultural rights and culture-arts can benefit from the services of local support centres. The STGM local support centres aim at responding to the technical support needs of local NGOs in such fields as project development and implementation, training, communication, campaigning and strategic planning. Another important target is to serve as facilitator in developing and strengthening civil networks. Local support centres are trying to provide for some needs of local NGOs who are presently deprived of office facilities. Though yet limited in scope, this includes basic office support in computer, Internet, photocopying and facsimile. The STGM materializes this support and associated activities through strategic partnerships initiated with local NGO platforms. STGM maintains its campaign support activities We are continuing the scheme for small-scale campaign support as we did in the period Firstly we gave support to the printing of brochures and leaflets produced by the Global Action Group (KEG) in its campaign Sign the Kyoto, Stop Global Warming. Within the framework of the KEG campaign thousands of people participating in demonstrations organized in Ankara on December 1st, in İzmir on December 2nd and in İstanbul on December 8th to raise their voice against the enactment of the draft law on nuclear power plants. STGM collaborates with two local civil platforms The STGM launched its local support centres in Denizli and Eskişehir in cooperation with local civil platforms bringing local NGOs together. Presently work is going on in forming platforms in Adana and Diyarbakır too. Another initiative supported by the STGM is the campaign End Violence Against Children which is presently being organized by the Child Rights Platform of Ankara. Getting together at the STGM Office on 13 December, platform members conducted preliminary work to develop their bi-annual work plans and identify a strategy. The meeting focused on the need to sensitize the members of the parliament, public at large and especially the media in regard to various forms and areas of violence against children. The Denizli NGO Development Platform (DESGEP) was established in 2005 in order to equip local NGOs with skills and information needed to take active part in local decision making processes and, thus, to strengthen partnerships with the public sector. Other aims of the DESGEP include introducing good governance in Denizli, better functioning of city councils and improving technical and human resources capacities of local NGOs. ( The Eskişehir Civil Local Movement (ESYO) was launched in 2007 to bring local NGOs together in some common activities. Leaving aside its General Assembly comprising all participating NGOs, the ESYO has no hierarchy including a president and a governing body. Its objectives include developing solutions for social and economic problems of Eskişehir; conducting and supporting surveys and studies on these problems; launching publications; encouraging civil society organizations and activities; and creating communication networks among NGOs, local governments and other civil bodies. Both participation and withdrawal from the platform are entirely on voluntary basis. All NGOs having faith in the objectives and principles of the platform as well as opinions and activities to share with others can take part. (

3 STGM Adana Local Support Centre is active Launched by the STGM to support NGOs in Adana and surrounding provinces, the STGM Adana Local Support Centre had its official inauguration on November 27th. Advocacy meetings by STGM Adana LSC On November 2007, the STGM Adana Local Support Centre (LSC) organized introductory meetings in Niğde, Mersin, Gaziantep and Hatay, which remained in its region of extension. It was encouraging that many NGOs were present in these meetings also participated by STGM Director General Sunay Demircan, Local Support Centres Coordinator Mert Altıntaş, Adana LSC Coordinator A. Leyla Sağlamtimur and Adana LSC Communication Official Emine Fulsen Halil. Following the opening ceremony, there were many participating to the celebration event: Adana Governor İlhan Atış; Adana Deputy Governors Fikret Deniz and Reşat Özdemir; Mayor Aytaç Durak, District Governor Ahmet Nevruz; Aycan Akdeniz, EC Delegation Official in charge of Democracy and Human Rights Affairs; STGM Adana Representative Süleyman Onatça, STGM Director General Sunay Demircan and NGO representatives from various provinces as well as the media. After opening speeches, a chamber music orchestra of the students of State Conservatoire, Çukurova University took the stage for performance. Enjoying intense media interest, the event ended with a cocktail following guests free observations at the support centre. The Adana Local Support Centre will also extend support to NGOs in nearby provinces including Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Niğde and Mersin. Platform-STGM cooperation meeting is scheduled for the new year After initial steps that have been taken, the first official meeting of the envisaged platform in Adana will take place on 5 January While helping local NGOs build capacity and get stronger, this Platform will also try to create a synergy in planned actions by emphasizing the processes of cooperation and effective communication. Invitees to the Platform- STGM cooperation meeting include NGOs active in Adana, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Hatay, Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Mersin and Niğde. It is expected that this meeting will complete the establishment of the platform, clarify the issue of future cooperation with the STGM and come up with plans on future activities. Participants: Executive Board of STGM-Adana Platform and NGO Representatives Date: Hours: :30 Venue: İŞGEM Adana adana@stgm.org.tr Web: During these meetings, NGO representatives from nearby provinces raised the following problems and requests in general: > Poor communication between NGOs and volunteers deriving mainly from the poor endowment of NGOs in terms of technical equipment and means of communication. > Egocentric and prejudiced attitudes on the part of some NGOs accompanied by insufficient communication database; absence of facilitators to improve relations among various NGOs; and weak sense of collective action which further undermines communication. > NGOs are poorly endowed with information about lobbying that is necessary in establishing contacts with government organizations and SMEs (small and medium scale enterprises), which ends up with very scarce support from governmental organizations and SMEs. > Financial constraints deriving from lack of information about how to secure funding. Facing these problems, local NGOs formulated their requests from the Adana LSC as training in communication, management and project cycle ; facilitation and technical support in such areas as problem analysis, strategic planning and creating platforms. These requests can be taken as indicators that local NGOs are well aware of their problems and they seek to improve their capacity for more effective and influential activities. Süleyman Onatça, STGM Adana Representative Süleyman Onatça, President of the Adana Association of Industrialists and Businessmen, joined business life in 1988 by establishing the Uğur Paint and Chemicals Inc. In 2000, he established the Onatça Motor Vehicles Inc. and stepped into the sector of automotive as Toyota dealer in Adana. Starting from his early years in business life, Onatça served in the governing bodies of various professional organizations in Adana. His engagements include: Membership to Adana Alliance Foundation, Southern Training Foundation, Association for Street Children and Adana Swimming and Water Sports Club; İstanbul based Association of Licensed Auto Dealers (OYDER-Deputy President); Enterprise and Business World Confederation (TÜRKONFED-Deputy President); Eastern Mediterranean Federation of Industrialists and Businessmen (DASİFED- President); Adana Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (ADSİAD- President) and Association of Çukurova Licensed Auto Dealers (YODER- President). Onatça is presently the Executive Director of the Adana Business Development Centre (İŞGEM), which was launched as a World Bank supported social project in the sector of informatics. At present this centre employs 180 persons engaged in informatics and development of software, web design and industrial programs. Deeply convinced about the importance of collective action in such areas as regional development and urban unity, Onatça, also a strong civil society proponent is married and has 4 children.

4 STGM Denizli Local Support Centre is active Launched by the STGM and Denizli NGO Development Platform (DESGEP) to support NGOs in Denizli and surrounding provinces, the STGM Denizli Local Support Centre had its official inauguration on 20 November Participants to the opening ceremony and celebrations that followed included Deputy Governor Halil İbrahim Ertekin, President of Provincial Council Osman Yüceliş, STGM Director General Sunay Demircan and NGO representatives from Denizli and neighbouring provinces. Lives in Captivity On 6 December 2007, the Denizli Branch of the Association for Combating AIDS staged the play Lives in Captivity by Mavisel Yener on the occasion of December 1st World AIDS Day. The play which was staged with the contribution of Pamukkale University focuses on the social exclusion and trauma experienced by people living with HIV/AIDS. The play, which also includes messages on how to avoid infection, was staged 6 times within the last of 2 years. A series of activities by PERYÖN Ege After opening speeches a cocktail was given and audience were pleased to listen to a small concert performed with ney, flute and guitar. The Denizli Local Support Centre will also extend support to NGOs in nearby provinces including Manisa, Uşak, Aydın, Muğla, Burdur, Isparta, Antalya and İzmir. The Aegean Branch of the Turkish Personnel Management Association (PERYÖN) will carry out a series of activities in the period December January 2008: > 26 December - Worker s Health and Job Security > 10 January - HR s Role in Developing a Family Constitution > 25 January - Labour Legislation Summit, > 26 January - General Assembly of PERYÖN Aegean Branch NGOs have sought excellence On 12 December 2007, the DESGEP held a meeting at the STGM- DESGEP Local Support Centre on the theme Seeking Excellence for NGOs. Following the opening speech of DESGEP Term Coordinator, participants discussed the future of the platform constituted by local NGOs. During the meeting participated by over 30 NGO representatives, Barbaros Kon, President of the Aegean Branch of the Turkish Personnel Management Association conducted an interactive training with attending NGO representatives. Using brainstorming techniques to identify strategies for the DESGEP, participants also conducted group sessions to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that NGOs face prior to strategic planning. Highly participative and yielding, the meeting ended up with quite a few suggestions and alternate ways for the further development of the DESGEP. Diler Aslan, STGM Denizli Representative Prof. Diler Aslan, the term coordinator of the DESGEP graduated from İzmir Girls High School and finished the Department of Chemical Engineering, Bosphorus University, in Completing her post-graduate studies in the Biochemistry Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Ms. Aslan has assumed various academic and administrative duties in Pamukkale University since Ms. Aslan s active life includes membership to various organizations: Founding Member of Denizli Soroptimist Club; Coordinator of Economic and Social Development Affairs in the Turkish Federation of Soroptimist Clubs; Turkish Biochemistry Society (TBD); American Association of Clinic Chemistry (AAAC); Association for Improving Medical Training (TEGED) and Turkish Quality Association (KalDer). Once (2002) the Turkey Country Representative for the IFCC, Diler Aslan has organised and attended as speaker to many symposia, panel discussions and conferences. Besides studies in the field of science, Mr. Aslan has publications in the field of social responsibility as well.

5 STGM Diyarbakır Local Support Centre is active STGM Diyarbakır Local Support Centre launched jointly by STGM and Diyarbakır Greater Municipality to support the activities of NGOs in Diyarbakır and nearby provinces became officially active on Friday, November 23rd. Diyarbakır Deputy visits STGM AKP Diyarbakır Deputy Kutbettin Arzu visited the local support centre on November 3rd and during his visit he was briefed by M. Lezgin Yalçın, Coordinator of the Centre, and Communication Officer E. Ezra Elbistan. During his visit, Mr. Arzu stressed the importance of alliances by local NGOs: There are quite a few NGOs in Diyarbakır. In order to avoid any waste of resources especially in the context of organisation, it will be rational for NGOs working more or less in similar fields to form alliances and partnerships in terms of human resources and office facilities. I believe outcomes will be much more satisfactory if all these can be achieved. Reiterating his commitment to organized civil society, Mr. Arzu promised full support to the activities of the centre. Participants to the opening ceremony included DTP Diyarbakır Deputy Gültan Kışanak, Bitlis Deputy Nezir Karabaş; Petar Kovachev, Human Rights and Democratisation Sector Official of the EC Delegation to Turkey; İhsan Uğur, Deputy Mayor of Diyarbakır Greater Municipality, Bağlar Mayor Yurdusev Özsökmenler, Yenişehir Mayor Fırat Anlı, STGM Diyarbakır Representative Şeyhmus Diken, STGM Director General Sunay Demircan, NGO representatives and the media. The opening ceremony ended with a cocktail. Besides Diyarbakır, the Diyarbakır Local Support Centre will also extend support to NGOs in such provinces as Malatya, Urfa, Mardin, Siirt, Batman, Şırnak, Elazığ, Bingöl, Tunceli, Muş and Van. Sharing experience for a stronger civil society The first round of NGO Experience Sharing Talks, which is one of the programmed activities of the STGM Diyarbakır Local Support Centre, took place on 14 December. There were 19 participants representing 15 local NGOs. The first presentation was by Tahir Dadak, Development Centre Coordinator. Dadak said that projects implemented in the region yielded no promising outcomes and failed the expectations of target groups if such projects were developed outside the region: As a group well aware of local circumstances, we have better insight to the nature of problems here in this region and we know better which solutions are most appropriate. We have scientifically analysed the causes and consequences of forced migration. Barış Dikilitaş Project Coordinator of the Executive Board of Sarmaşık Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development Association and Executive Board member of Diyarbakır LSC stressed that the overarching aim of their association, which comprises of local governments and NGOs, was to combat poverty. Dikilitaş pointed out that they established a food bank to provide nutritional support to families on the brink of hunger and there were about 500 families regularly benefiting from this support: Our ultimate aim is to develop employment generating projects to provide jobs to impoverished people. As a part of this effort, we are also organizing vocational training programmes. The meeting continued with questionsanswers and contributions by participants. All participants agreed that meetings of this kind should be organized periodically. Mr. Arzu was for 12 years at the head of the Diyarbakır Branch of the Chamber of Architects of TMMOB (Union of the Chambers of Architects and Engineers). He also served in the Diyarbakır Chamber of Industry and Commerce as executive board member for 4 years and as president for 8 years. Besides, Arzu is also among the founding members of such business organizations as GÜNSİAD and DİSİAD. Şeyhmus Diken, STGM Diyarbakır Representative Şeyhmus Diken has long years of experience as a committed civil society activist. He has been working for various civil organizations on voluntary basis as plain member or member of various boards. His special fields of interest include city culture and identity, and local and oral history. In this context, it is one of his pleasures to serve as voluntary city guide to missions visiting Diyarbakır. As a writer, Diken is a member of the Turkish Union of Writers and Diyarbakır Representative of International PEN Club. He is a founding member of the STGM presently serving in its executive board as a member. His articles are regularly published in the Daily BirGün, Diken is a graduate of the Department of Political and Administrative Sciences of Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences. Married and having two children, he is presently an advisor to the Mayor of Diyarbakır. Diken has 8 books as well as many published researches, articles and essays.

6 STGM Eskişehir Local Support Centre is active STGM Eskişehir Local Support Centre launched jointly by STGM, Odunpazarı Municipality and Eskişehir Local Civil Movement (ESYO) to support NGOs in Eskişehir and surrounding provinces became officially active on 23 November Participants to the opening ceremony were as follows: Eskişehir Deputy Governor Nurettin Yücel; Michael Vögele from the Institutional Development and Civil Society Division of the EC Delegation to Turkey; Odunpazarı Mayor Burhan Sakallı; STGM Executive Director Levent Korkut; NGO representatives and the media. Following opening speeches, participants conducted observations at the centre. After a briefing on services to be extended by the centre, there was a cocktail bringing together participating NGOs and visitors. The STGM Eskişehir Local Support Centre will extend support also to NGOs in various other provinces including Bilecik, Kütahya, Afyon, Bursa and Adapazarı. University youth discusses civil society participation 13 students from the Faculty of Economic Sciences of Anadolu University, ESYO team of facilitators and STGM Eskişehir Local Support Centre came together and organized a series of workshops to discuss barriers to youth participation in civil society and how these barriers could be removed. After these workshops realized in the context of the academic course Practices in Serving the Society, now plans are being made to continue working with new students who will take this course in coming academic year, to design specific activities involving youth and to let students determine the course and content of these activities. Michael Vögele visits ESYO Michael Vögele from the Institutional Development and Civil Society Division of the EC Delegation to Turkey visited Eskişehir on November 29th on the occasion of the opening of the Local Support Centre. Before attending the ceremony, Mr. Vögele met with the facilitators of the ESYO to exchange opinions on such issues as civil society-local government cooperation. ESYO General Assembly gathers The Eskişehir Local Civil Initiative (ESYO) held its first General Assembly on November 24th at the Conference Hall of Odunpazarı Municipality with the participation of 69 NGO representatives. The main item in the agenda was the election of ESYO Facilitators Board. With the votes of all 69 delegates, facilitators to serve for a one year term were elected. Elected facilitators are as follows: Gürcan Banger (Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce), Ali Akyaz (Association of Citizens from Black Sea Region), Süreyya Ballıdağ (Personal Development and Enterprise Association), Fethi Koçak (MÜSİAD), Sevim Şahin (Sucaddin Veli Association), Necmettin Başkurt (Foundation for the Education and Rehabilitation of Mentally Disabled Persons) and Basri Köseler (Oğuz Kayıboyu Folklore Studies Association). Gürcan Banger, STGM Eskişehir Representative Completing his BS and MS studies in the Electrical Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University, Banger s professional field is computer-based control. He has about 30 original and translated articles and essays in the fields of engineering, computer science, software and politics. Mr. Banger has delivered many papers on energy, civil society and urban development to various scientific congresses and symposia and made programmes on scientific, cultural and social issues for local radio and TV channels. His daily articles can be regularly found in Anadolu, a local newspaper. His daily articles won him the Social Ethic Award accorded to local press as a part of a nationwide organization. Mr. Banger s career also includes posts of secretary and accountant in the Chamber of Electrical Engineers and membership to the Council and Executive Committee of Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce. He is the founding member of Eskişehir Development Foundation (EGEV) as well as Eskişehir Local Civil Initiative (ESYO), which serves as a communication network and platform for capacity building. Mr. Banger has partnership in two different computer companies and founding member and project advisor to an institutional counselling-training firm. He is also the advisor of the Executive Board of Sarar Group of Companies. For 15 years, he worked for universities in Eskişehir on parttime basis leading courses in systems analysis, computer hardware and software and profession-bated foreign language.

7 New prospects in capacity building efforts The STGM started its work on capacity building in the context of the project Support to the Development of Civil Society and Civil Dialogue in Turkey. For the capacity building programme which will continue from 2007 to 2009, we have diversified training topics and enriched the programme with new instruments. Our capacity building supports will mainly cover four headings: > Institutional Capacity Building Trainings, > Project Cycle Management Trainings > Tailor-made Trainings > Institutional Coaching Supports The most important feature of our supports which continues in the period is that our capacity building programme is designed in a way to have individual support schemes mutually support and reinforce each other. Following the first step taken with institutional capacity building trainings, the process will continue with project cycle management trainings. Following these two initial trainings, capacity building efforts will continue with tailor-made trainings and Institutional Coaching Supports. Institutional Coaching Support In addition to training activities, we are also planning to organize one-to-one support programmes which we call Institutional Coaching Support. Within the framework of this scheme, our experts will have an opportunity to work in close contact with NGOs. This kind of support may cover diverse fields relating to an NGO including its strategic planning, budget management, production of printed materials and campaign planning. Under this heading, again, our experts will visit NGOs in their own places and conduct joint work covering various issues relevant to specific NGOs. For further information and details about our support: Training in Institutional Capacity Building Strategic planning and NGO management constitute the content of training which is open to all NGO managers. With participating organizations we will be working for four days on such issues as visionmission identification, strategic planning, action plans, organizational leadership and teamwork. Our aim is to come up with a strategic approach capable of solving the common problems of as many NGOs as possible. Project Cycle Management Trainings Project Cycle Management Trainings (PCM) aims at improving the level of information of those NGOs striving to develop and design projects in their process of institutionalization. This 4 days training covers topics such as problem analysis, target analysis, logical framework approach, activity planning, budgeting and monitoring and evaluation. This training focuses on improving the capacity and skills of NGOs in project design and development. Tailor-made Trainings Following these two steps taken together, we will start the next round of trainings whose content and timing to be decided by other participating NGOs. Once these decisions are taken, the organisation of trainings will also be made together with participating NGOs. Topics to be covered include communication, campaigning, volunteer management, conflict resolution, financial management and NGO management. Our objective in need-based training is to give effective responses to differentiated needs of various NGOs.

8 Organized individual is civilized individual and organised consumer is conscious consumer. Bülent Deniz (Consumers Association) As the development of capitalism radically disturbed vendor-consumer balance, masses of consumers with constrained economic resources, devoid of sufficient information and motive for organizing are confronted with professionalized and organized vendors who control economic resources and exert influence on political power as well. Clear manifestation of this imbalance between the parties, measures protecting consumers became necessary. The consumer movement emerging first in the US then jumped to Europe in the period and appeared in Turkey as well shortly after. In Turkey as a consequence of accelerated work within the framework of EU accession, the issue found its legal basis upon the enactment of the legislation on the protection of consumers in Our guest civil activist in this issue of Siviliz is Bülent Deniz, a lawyer dedicating his long years to defend consumers rights. Deniz is the founding member and president of the Consumers Association which is the largest organization in its field with 21 branches and over 8,400 members. Deniz has been active in various areas including civil society, civil disobedience, human rights and rights of patients as well as consumers. He is also involved in many other organizations including Association of Patients and their Relatives (HAYAD), Women s Association against Discrimination (AKDER), Mazlumder and Association of Lawyers as founding member or membership in Governing or Auditing Boards. Deniz is one of the delegates to the Council of Consumers of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. *Derived from the text Fundamental Consumers Rights by Fatih Doğan. As an activist also involved in the field of human rights, in which common denominator can you bring consumers rights and human rights together? Human rights is an umbrella concept. Under it you find consumers rights, patient rights, women s rights, child rights, pedestrian rights and so on. The major and ultimate aim is to ensure the full exercise of all human rights. So finding my place in the field of human rights both as a lawyer and activist, my engagement with consumers and patients rights has somewhat come to the fore. These secondary rights are but derivatives or extensions of the broad concept which we call human rights. We know that the Consumers Association adopts the motto of the rule of law, decent human life and avoiding being consummated while consuming. Is consumption really so influential in shaping our lives? I have never seen these rights within the confines of let s say protecting consumers from moving washing machine or refund for leaking boots. In technical terms, the specific right we are mentioning is that the consumer gets exactly what he is entitled to having purchased some good or services. However, the same right has its broader and macrolevel implications in the context of participatory democracy, organization and representation. The UN Universal Declaration on Consumers Rights (1985) to which Turkey is a State Party lists eight fundamental rights in this regard. Of these rights, those relating to information, organization and representation were of specific relevance to me in the context of consumers rights. After all, consumption is an incessant phenomenon surrounding all aspects of life, destined to end only with the demise of individual consumer. As the Consumers Association you have the vision of being one of the best organised and civil organisations in the world, also enjoying a large membership base until Why is it so important for an organisation to have as much branches and members as possible? Organized individual is civilized individual and organised consumer is conscious consumer. This principle alone leads us to assert that there is need to increase organization coefficient. Meanwhile, the most effective way in influencing decision makers is to bring together individual wills of citizens in an organization and convey this to decision makers as the common will of so many. Personally you have close interest in information technologies and the Internet. What kind of role these means play in your efforts to get organized and realize your vision? During the 1999 Earthquake that is during that period when a positive trend emerged in terms of organizing civil society, I realized how the Internet could be functional during emergencies including in saving lives and reaching aid to victims. Then I observed that the Internet traffic was evolving into a yet unnamed civil organization and its users were starting to launch a kind of initiative. I think I was the first example in this with the «stkduyuru» e-group that I pioneered. Originally created for the purpose of giving space announcements by civil society organizations, this group later turned into a news network with rather wide membership including media professionals, government authorities and deputies. We are now using the Internet wider and more effectively in the work of Consumers Association. Our website is among the top 300 sites in terms of the number of visitors. Through the Internet we are available to extend legal advice and counselling at any hour of the day. We communicate with our branches and activities through the Internet. Few years ago, for example, due to adverse weather conditions in İstanbul, we had our board meeting over the MSN. For the last three years, more than a half of all messages from consumers reach us through the Internet again. How did being a civil society activist affect your life in positive and negative terms? I think being an activist in civil society is a way of life that any individual should engage in some way. Women who, together with their neighbours, rush into the room of the Mayor for uncollected garbage in their street are activist and so are guardians who struggle to improve the quality of education during their debates in parent-teacher gatherings. The time I spared so far for being a civil society activist yielded extremely positive outcomes for me. This made me feel good and happy. Considering these positive outcomes, I don t dare thinking about what such a preference took away in terms shorter time spared for my profession, family relations and personal health. Tüketiciler Birliği Demirkapı cad. No: 25/8 Bayrampaşa İstanbul Tel: (212) Fax: (212) bilgi@tuketiciler.org, tuketici@tuteciler.org e-help: sikayet@tuketiciler.org web : STGMD Executive Board Chair: Levent Korkut Deputy Chair: Serpil Sancar Secretary General: Orhan Kemal Cengiz Accountant: Feray Salman Members: Şeyhmus Diken, Uygar Özesmi, Öyküm Bağcı Owned by on Behalf of Civil Society Development Center Association: Levent Korkut Responsible Editor in-chief: Gamze Göker Graphic Design: M. Cem Kocataş, Banu Çetintaş Illustrations: Ferit Avcı ISSN Civil Society Development Center 89.sok. 14/9, Yıldız Çankaya, Ankara / Turkey Tel: +90 (312) (pbx) Fax: +90 (312) bilgi@stgm.org.tr web: STGM Adana Local Support Center Adana İş Geliştirme Merkezi Kocavezir Mahallesi Kocavezir İş Merkezi Kat: 2 No: 17 Adana / Turkey Tel: +90 (322) Fax: +90 (322) adana@stgm.org.tr web: STGM Denizli Local Support Center Saltak Mah Sok. No: 16 D: 1, Denizli / Turkey Tel: +90 (258) Fax: +90 (258) denizli@stgm.org.tr web: STGM Diyarbakır Local Support Center Kurtismailpaşa 8. Sok. Memuzin Apt. No: 3 Ofis, Diyarbakır / Turkey Tel: +90 (412) Fax: +90 (412) diyarbakir@stgm.org.tr web: STGM Eskişehir Local Support Center Deliklitaş Mah. Gürman Sok. No: Eskişehir / Turkey Tel: +90 (222) Fax: +90 (222) eskisehir@stgm.org.tr web: