Turkish citizens’ trust in civil society rising: Report

Duvar English

Turkey’s Civil Society Development Center (STGM) on Nov. 8 published a report on the public perceptions of civil society organizations.

The "Perception of Civil Society in Turkey Report" was prepared based on findings from face-to-face interviews with 3,040 people across 42 provinces between Dec. 8, 2023, and Jan. 15, 2024. According to the report, although public awareness of civil society is low, civil society organizations’ fieldwork following the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes positively impacted public views of these organizations.

Around 50 percent of participants said that they began viewing civil society organizations more favorably after witnessing their work post-earthquake, and believed they were more effective than state institutions in the disaster response. Participants also felt that civil society organizations could have been more active in the earthquake response without state intervention.

The public associated civil society with concepts like "volunteering," "solidarity," "donation," and "aid." Terms like "advocacy," "democracy," and "activism" were among the least mentioned.

Participants did not use negative language about civil society organizations despite presenting various criticisms of them. Only one percent associated them with terms like "missionary activity" or "foreign influence."

The survey asked participants which types of civil society organizations Turkey needed most. The most common responses were organizations addressing poverty, education, and health services, while fundamental rights and freedoms were among the least cited needs.

80 percent of participants believed that civil society organizations had no influence on shaping public policy or solving societal issues. The report noted this situation stemmed from the lack of involvement of civil society organizations in processes at municipalities, ministries, and the Parliament.

The report found the military was the most trusted institution, while religious communities were the least trusted. Civil society organizations ranked just below government agencies and public institutions in terms of trust.

The report noted that participants under 35 trusted religious leaders, governing parties, municipalities, and religious communities less than those over 35. Younger participants also expressed more trust in social media.

Although the earthquake positively influenced perceptions of civil society, the research showed that public awareness of civil society organizations remained limited. The report indicated that while civil society organizations gained prominence in times of disaster, they had low recognition among the general public.

When asked what comes to mind when thinking of civil society, participants most frequently mentioned the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and AHBAP. The research also showed that other organizations like LÖSEV, TEMA, and Darüşşafaka, which are visible in mainstream media, were among the most recognized.

The report stated that 80 percent of the public had no contact with civil society organizations, noting that "challenges in the field of freedom of association negatively impact both public perception and awareness of civil society organizations."

The survey showed that organizations with political affiliations had limited public support. Organizations like TÜRGEV, Lighthouse (Deniz Feneri), and Humanitarian Relief Foundation (İHH) had low public recognition.

According to the report, the public’s interaction with civil society was limited to activities like receiving aid, scholarships, and accommodation.

When asked why they did not join civil society organizations, participants often replied that they were "hesitant or fearful" about joining these activities.

The research revealed that although young people were familiar with civil society organizations, they were hesitant to engage. This hesitation was attributed to the requirement for organizations to report memberships.

The report noted that the difficulty civil society organizations face in recruiting members or volunteers stemmed from challenges in freedom of association. However, it suggested that these challenges could change if conditions supporting the expansion of civil society were created.

The report’s findings showed that participants who had interacted with civil society organizations held more positive perceptions and higher trust in these organizations. Trust increased as participants became more familiar with civil society organizations. Civil society engagement also rose with higher education and income levels. Currently, 36 percent of participants expressed trust in civil society organizations.