The Center for Women's Studies (CWS) at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) is the first academic research and training center for women studies in Northern Cyprus. CWS was established on November 17, 1998 and has worked primarily to encourage sensitivity towards the problems women face and to raise awareness of women's issues by bringing them to the attention of the public.
Our slogan "We Are Everywhere" indicates women's existence as half of the world population in every location and culture, as well as the essence of the gender equality in every community.
Our belief in multi-voices is also demonstrated in our center's structure. The Center consists of a Chair, an Executive Board, an Advisory Board, Central Units and Project Groups.
With the guidance of the Advisory Board, CWS provides a platform for a diversity of opinions and suggestions from representatives of different institutions and organizations related to gender issues. With contributions from Central Units and Project Groups, the Center coordinates academic research and development and educational activities.
Mission
- Raise public awareness of gender issues
- Promote and conduct interdisciplinary research on gender-specific issues
- Disseminate research findings and conference outcomes to the decision-making mechanisms in charge of gender-related matters in universities, and public
- Promote the status of women
- Facilitate communication with and among institutions and organizations dealing with women's issues
- Contribute to the development and change of policies addressing the problems women face
- Provide an archive of information and documentation for the use of researchers working on gender-related subjects
Vision
- Promotion of scholarly research on gender issues
- Preparation of education kits and campaigns to increase gender awareness in schools, governmental and non-governmental institutions, and the media, among others.
- Publication of periodicals, books and proceedings, addressing women's issues and articulating the findings of research in the area
- Organization of conferences, congresses, workshops and seminars
- Opening a women's studies graduate program at EMU to increase the number and quality of research projects and researchers
- Coordination and cooperation with national and international organizations and institutions
Major Accomplishments
Publication: Kadın/Woman 2000, a bilingual (Turkish/English) journal of the CWS, is an international publication in print since 2000. Published biannually, this journal is a multi-disciplinary refereed journal, indexed and abstracted in various databases and dedicated to the scholarly study of all aspects of women's issues.
Conferences: CWS hosted four international conferences on women's studies in 2004 and 2006, 2009, 2012,2015, 2017, and 2019 respectively.
Workshop: With the aim of raising awareness on women's problems and within the framework of "8 March International Women's Day", EMU CWS organized a closed group workshop entitled "The Role and Responsibilities of Local Governments and Non-governmental Organizations in the Elimination of Violence against Women".
Support Unit for Sexual Abuse and Sexual Attacks: EMU CWS is carrying out work for the establishment of a unit within the center which will provide legal and psychological solutions, support, guidance and consultation regarding possible sexual abuse and attacks that EMU staff and students may encounter.
Activities: Every year, CWS organizes and holds seminars and workshops to raise awareness about gender issues in the university and among the local community. In addition, CWS, in collaboration with similar centers operating within other universities in Turkey, actively participates in workshops and disseminates information regarding the prevention of gender discrimination and violence towards women. Within this framework, the center hosted a workshop entitled "What Can Be Done against Sexual Harassment and Sexual Abuse in Universities?".
CWS also organizes cultural events and exhibitions of the work of Turkish Cypriot women artists on International Women's Day. In this respect, a panel entitled "3 Female Passengers in our Music History", a tree planting event organized in memory of notable females in the history of Cyprus, a handicraft exhibition entitled "Treasure in Chest", a classical music concert by professional Cypriot female musicians, a symposium in EMU marking '8 March International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women', a painting competition entitled "Women and Nature through the Eyes of a Child" which was organised amongst elementary schools, a panel entitled "Being a Female….. Being a Female in Cyprus", Turkish Cypriot Female Poets' Meeting III and, last but not least, a poetry evening entitled "Sancılı Toprak' took place within the operations of the center.
Projects: The Center supports various academic, scientific and community service-based research projects and educational activities through various project groups.
Graduate Program: CWS has opened interdisciplinary graduate program on Gender Studies. From 2017-2018 Spring academic term program has started to accept students from many disciplines.
