Our University participates institutionally, at both local and national levels, in policy development and implementation processes aimed at addressing poverty not only in terms of insufficient income, but also through its multidimensional aspects, including employment, social exclusion, family well-being, gender inequality, access to basic social services, and the empowerment of vulnerable groups.
One of the strongest examples of this participation in 2025 was the preparation of the Trabzon Provincial Action Plan for the Protection and Strengthening of the Family. At the Provincial Action Plan Workshop held on 9 May 2025, a provincial action plan was developed to adapt the measures included in the National Action Plan for the Protection and Strengthening of the Family to the specific context of Trabzon. Faculty members from the KTÜ Women and Family Studies Application and Research Center directly served as moderators during the workshop. The Director of the Center moderated the policy area “Increasing the Effectiveness of Family-Oriented Social Policies and Services,” while the Deputy Director moderated “Increasing Families’ Resilience to Disasters and Emergencies through Family-Sensitive Environmental Policies.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the draft Trabzon Provincial Action Plan was shaped and principles for inter-institutional cooperation in implementation were identified. The fact that the national plan includes objectives such as “Increasing the Welfare Level of Families” and “Increasing the Effectiveness of Family-Oriented Social Policies and Services” demonstrates the direct relevance of this policy process to multidimensional poverty and social welfare
Our University also participates in local policy-making processes aimed at the economic and social empowerment of women. On 25 September 2025, the Director of the KTÜ Women and Family Studies Application and Research Center participated as an institutional representative in the Provincial Coordination Meeting on Women’s Empowerment, chaired by the Governor of Trabzon. The meeting evaluated women’s participation in education, health, the economy, leadership, and decision-making mechanisms, while inter-institutional consultations were held regarding the preparation of the Provincial Action Plan for Women’s Empowerment and the identification of related projects. In this way, the University directly contributed to the local policy process aimed at strengthening women’s economic participation and reducing social exclusion Evidence: https://www.ktu.edu.tr/kadinarastirmalari/haber/kadinin-guclenmesi-il-koordinasyon-toplantisi
The University’s participation in the development and implementation of employment policies is also institutional in nature. Our University is officially represented on the Trabzon Provincial Employment and Vocational Education Board. During the Board’s 2025 meetings, provincial labour market and employment indicators, vocational education programmes, the employment of women and young people, the employment of persons with disabilities and former convicts, business start-up support, and labour market adaptation programmes were evaluated. Through this mechanism, the University participates in provincial decision-making and coordination processes aimed at increasing employment and reducing economic vulnerability
Evidence: https://www.ktu.edu.tr/iibf/kurullar/tab0
At the national level, our University directly contributes to the development of social service policy through the TÜBÄ°TAK KAMAG 1007 GÜVEN Project, for which the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Family and Social Services serves as the client institution. The project aims to analyse the current structure of women’s shelters in Türkiye and develop a specialised service model capable of responding to the differing needs of women and children who are victims of violence. In the Ministry of Family and Social Services’ 2025 report, the project objectives include developing preventive and monitorable service policies addressing the reasons for applications to women’s shelters, strengthening the capacity of specialised institutions, preparing arrangements for inter-institutional coordination, and planning the specialised institutions required across the country. In this way, the University’s scientific work provides direct input into the design of national social service policies for vulnerable women and children
Our University also created a policy dialogue platform through the 26th International Public Administration Forum, organised on 24–26 April 2025, where complex societal challenges such as poverty, migration, climate change, and other public policy issues were addressed jointly by policy makers, public-sector practitioners, and academics
Evidence: https://ktu.edu.tr/tr/haber/26-uluslararasi-kamu-yonetimi-forumu-kayfor26-universitemizde-duzenlendi
In conclusion, in 2025, our University actively participated at local and national levels in the development and implementation of policies addressing the multidimensional causes of poverty and socioeconomic vulnerability. This participation extended beyond academic research and included direct involvement in the preparation of action plans, official representation on public-sector boards, participation in policy development with public institutions, and the design of national social service models.
