Say Yes, Autumn 2004: A Campaign Notebook -- Additional Benefits

There are many associated advantages to be gained from the drive to close the gender gap in education:

Inclusion

Haydi Kızlar Okula! brings the government to the doorsteps of the most excluded families. One man tellingly observed that:

If the government (volunteers) care enough to visit me, then I will let my daughter go to school.

Awareness

Haydi Kızlar Okula! raises awareness of the hitherto overlooked issue of girls education among central government, provincial and district officials. Some remain apathetic -- it’s their culture to keep girls from school, don’t push them so much said one official -- but the campaign has awakened a determination to address the situation in the majority. The campaign focus has energised local NGOs, raised public awareness and rallied the media around a major children’s rights issue.

Creative solutions

Haydi Kızlar Okula! has brought about many creative solutions and innovations such as:

• The Governors of Şırnak and Siirt who had the idea of using surplus prefabricated buildings from the earthquake area to expand classroom space;
• NGOs in Adana who collected donations to buy uniforms and school materials for poor families;
• Awarding beehives to families in Taşlıçay, Ağrı, who send their girls to school;
• Getting the children themselves in Doğubeyazıt, Ağrı, to identify brothers, sisters and friends who are out-of-school;
• Gold coins in Mazıdağı, Mardin, for girls enrolling for the first time;
• Poultry for families in Çınar, Diyarbakır, who enroll their girls.

This handful of examples shows the wealth of creativity in the country’s bureaucracy and demonstrates how they can be a positive force for development when there is a sure focus. The campaign has also mobilised resources from local businesses and individuals to build and repair schools and to make other contributions such as uniforms and materials.

A focus for Government

Haydi Kızlar Okula! has led to the Government confronting the issue of girls’ education. It led to the Minister of National Education and his most senior officials mobilising around a major rights issue in order to find a solution. It has led to policy changes such as higher Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) for girls who enroll and stay at school and the decision to pay an incentive to teachers who are posted in remote areas. It has also led to tackling the shortage of school space with prefabricated buildings.

A focus for UNICEF

Haydi Kızlar Okula! has given UNICEF the opportunity to make a real impact on our main constituency -- the most socially excluded -- allowing us a greater appreciation of the complexity of their situation. The campaign has concentrated our efforts on a serious children’s rights issue. It has made us more empathetic, more understanding and more effective in the development of our strategies. We are now in a position to sharpen and refine our strategies in other areas of the country programme -- especially in the promotion of behaviour change.

Continue to the third part, Remaining Issues.

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