How can women leaving prison be better supported to rebuild their lives, access employment and housing, care for their children and successfully reintegrate into society? These questions were at the heart of the First Regional Awareness-Raising Conference on Women’s Empowerment and Reintegration, held in İzmir on 23–24 September 2026.

Organised under the European Union – Council of Europe Joint Programme “Strengthening Rights and Conditions of Women in Prisons in Türkiye in line with International and EU Standards”, the conference brought together representatives of public institutions, prison and probation services, civil society, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to examine the specific challenges faced by women before and after release and to develop practical responses adapted to the regional context of Western Türkiye.

Participants discussed some of the barriers that can make reintegration difficult, including access to employment and housing, childcare responsibilities, stigma and gaps in co-ordination between services. Particular attention was given to the role of employment and economic empowerment, and to how public institutions and the private sector can work together to create more sustainable opportunities for women after release.

The discussions then moved from identifying challenges to developing solutions. Through four thematic working groups, participants explored practical regional co-ordination models for pre-release and post-release support, identifying shared priorities and concrete opportunities for collaboration. The outcomes from the discussions will ideally contribute to the development of a Consolidated Regional Co-ordination Model for Western Türkiye.

The conference highlighted a simple but important principle: successful reintegration cannot be achieved by one institution alone. It requires co-ordinated support that responds to women’s individual circumstances and connects them with the related services and opportunities and assistance they need to move forward.

The Joint Programme “Strengthening Rights and Conditions of Women in Prisons in Türkiye in line with International and EU Standards” is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.