Evaluation of the effects of rural organisations on the empowerment of women: Saitabat Village Women Solidarity Association example

With this research, the effects of organizations established by women in rural areas in Turkey on the empowerment of women who are members of the organization are analyzed within the context of feminist theory and on the basis of Saitabat Village Women Solidarity association, which is the first organization formed by women in a rural area in Turkey. As part of the research conducted, 15 female members who took part in every phase and duty of the research object association since its establishment were interviewed thoroughly. In the light of these interviews, the aim was to analyze the experiences of women following the association process, the changes that occurred in their daily life practices and their economic, social and psychological changes through their own accounts. In the research designed as qualitative research, the technique used was qualitative impact analysis, which made possible a multidimensional empowerment analysis by offering the researcher rich data, in line with the set objective. The evaluation of data obtained as a result of the research conducted within the scope of the empowerment indicators determined ahead of research show that organizational empowerment is realized within the research object association. The descriptive analysis performed based on the accounts of interviewers reveal that the association has an important effect on the economic, social and psychological empowerment of its female members. However, there was no sign of empowerment in the private sphere where patriarchal values are rooted.