In Turkey, civil organizations was controlled by the government. Especially activities of civil organizations such as cooperation were limited by the 1982 Constitution, however. have been approved by 1995 amendment. As a result activities of civil organizations have greatly increased.
On August 17th, 1999, an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale hit the Marmar region of Turkey. Many civil organizations participated in efforts to assist victims.
Kadın Dayanışma Vakfı/KDV (Womens Solidarity Foundation) investigated the devastated areas and prepared action plans based on gender and local issues. Resulting programs were adaptable according to needs at the time of implementation. At first, WSF erected
Women's Tents in response to the emergency itsell, then constructed
Sewing Houses to provide income to these tent villages as a mid-range solution and proposed to the local government to construct a new
Women's House for education center as a longrange solutioh. This plan constitutes a Participatory Learning Action process for social development. Other civil organizations also worked for social development and modernization after the earthquake.
This extension of assistance to earthquake victims is seen as an expression of civic mindeclness by means of social mutual aid tailored to local needs. This can be considered as social capital consisting of trust, norms of reciprocity and network of civic engagement. These ideas were formulated in the form of civil organizations soon after the disaster in 1999 to assist the victims.
One of networks was made into civil organizations called
vakfı. In historically
vakfı is the donation system in Islam society but in modern society,
vakfı is defined as corporation organization in constitution.
Vakfı for the norm for common goods as invisible system have been constructed for vakfi materials as visible objects.
The Turkish government, however, tried to limit the activities of the civil organizations in the effected areas. In response, 101 civil organizations wrote editorials in newspapers calling for government and public acceptance of their activities. This editorial battle in the media led to maturation of the civil organizations and social recognition of their existence. The political expression of the civil organizations also reflects democratization in Turkey.
In this process, it also expreses the change for role of civil organization from relief to rehabilitation and social development, and for quality from govement controled organization to real voluntary one.
Although it can be said that the activities of Civil organizations were frozen in the 1980's, as a result of political change and support activities after the 1999 earthquake. Turkish society has discovered its civic mindedness. Civil organizations have functioned as agentcy to democratize and activate the civic mlndeclness of Turkish society.
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