Local Equality Action Plan Preparation Workshop was organized by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Metropolitan Mayor Alinur Aktaş said that with the local equality action plan studies covering the years 2024-2027, it is aimed that all citizens living in Bursa, from 7 to 70, benefit equally from the opportunities offered by the city.
The Local Equality Action Plan Preparation Workshop, organized by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, which adopts equal participation in all areas of life in the local area and benefiting from rights and services equally, was held at the Yıldırım Beyazıt Hall of Atatürk Congress and Culture Center. The workshop was opened with a ceremony attended by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Alinur Aktaş, Family and Social Services Provincial Director Muammer Doğan, city council members, academics, representatives of public institutions and non-governmental organizations.
'Our goal is one, our goal is an equal city'
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Alinur Aktaş said that they aim to localize sustainable development goals with the 'Bursa Local Equality Action Plan', the first meeting of which was held with the slogan 'Our goal is one, our goal is an equal city'. Stating that they have adopted the principle of equal participation in all areas of local life and benefiting from rights and services equally, Mayor Aktaş said, “With the Local Equality Action Plan studies, we adopt the equal use of all our people, from 7 to 70, living in Bursa, from the opportunities offered by the city. Together with our stakeholders, we want to prepare the roadmap for the work to be done to end all kinds of discrimination against all individuals, men and women, old and young, and disabled. At the local level, the efforts to ensure that no one is left behind in our ancient city, and to effectively fight against inequality and injustice are priority services for us.”
Zero tolerance for violence
Expressing that they are in an effort to provide the best services to all segments of the society within the scope of social municipality understanding, Mayor Aktaş said, “With our social support, nursery training centers, psychological support and dietitian services, BUSMEK, disabled road assistance services, elderly disabled support services, everyone's well-being in all areas of life. We are working to ensure and support its state. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to violence with our women's counseling center and women's shelter service in the field of combating violence against women. We are trying to find solutions to the problems of all our women with the 'We are your woman' mobile application project. At the same time, we contribute to their socialization and support them to have a say in the city administration with the projects they offer.”
Equal use of services
Reminding that Bursa Metropolitan Municipality is one of the first municipalities in Turkey to sign the European Charter of Equality between Women and Men in Local Life in 2013, Mayor Aktaş said: We emphasize that the city should benefit equally from the services offered by the city, such as benefiting from cultural activities, freedom of transportation and movement, and participation in decisions. Our Local Equality Action Plan will be prepared in a more inclusive and effective manner with the participation of the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, academicians from different disciplines of our universities, public institutions, district municipalities, headman and representatives of non-governmental organizations. Within the plan, the problems and solutions of all our people from 7 to 70; employment, health and rehabilitation, combating violence and awareness activities, urban services, participation in decision-making mechanisms, climate, environment and natural disasters, migration and adaptation. We will continue to work with meetings and workshops to be held in the future so that our action plan to be prepared will cover our entire city and the services to be created will be widespread. Our aim is one; Our goal is an equal city. I hope our workshop will be beneficial for our entire city.”