1.

Background

Based on a strongly centralized national approach to eGovernment Turkey has since year 2003 carried out a series of key action plans to realize the e-transofrmation of the country.

The e-Transformation Turkey Project, launched in 2003 carried out the process of transformation into an Information Society in a harmonious and integrated structure throughout the society with all citizens, enterprises and public segments.

The objectives of the project were officially defined in a circular issued by the Prime Minister's office on 27 February 2003, as follows:

• policies, laws and regulations regarding ICT to be re-examined and changed if necessary, so as to comply with those of the EU;
• the eEurope+ Action Plan, initiated for candidate countries, to be adapted for Turkey;
• mechanisms that facilitate participation of citizens in the decision-making process via ICT are to be developed;
• transparency and accountability for public management to be enhanced;
• through increased use of ICT, good governance principles to be applied in government services;
• widespread use of ICT to be supported;
• public IT projects to be coordinated, monitored, evaluated and consolidated, if necessary, so as to avoid duplication or overlaps;
• private sector guidance to be provided in accordance with those principles.

In conjunction with the short-term targets of the action plans of the e-Transformation Turkey Project, an initiative for defining Turkey's Information Society Strategy for the upcoming years was initiated in 2005. That was an attempt to enable Turkey to effectively benefit from ICT and to identify the middle and long term strategies and targets for the realization of transformation.

2.

The policy goals

The Strategy contains two basic priorities regarding eGovernment: citizen-oriented service transformation and the modernisation of Public Administration. Under these priorities, there are specific targets, and purely determined actions to reach these targets:

• Within the context of "Citizen-focused Service Transformation", public services will be moved to electronic channels, prioritizing services of high usage and high return with the aid of ICT while business processes will be reengineered in line with user needs, and hence, effectiveness in service delivery will be ensured. In this scope: number and level of development of services provided via electronic channels, usage of services provided in electronic channels, and level of satisfaction from services provided via electronic channels will be increased.
• The priority regarding the Modernisation in Public Administration envisions Public Administration reform supported by ICT. With the implementation of this strategy an effective eGovernment model will be developed via ICT, having organisational and process structures in conformity with country's conditions, thus prioritizing efficiency and citizen satisfaction. In this scope, high level of saving in public current expenditures will be ensured and revenues will be increased, decision-making processes will be improved via effective usage of information, satisfaction level from public services will be increased and success rates in project implementation will also be increased.
• The Information Society Strategy covers several actions aiming, either directly or indirectly, the development of broadband infrastructure and usage in Turkey. Several actions in the area of eGovernment, eLearning and eHealth will create substantial demand for broadband services and encourage operators to invest in broadband infrastructures. It is stipulated in the Strategy that the public demand for broadband services will be aggregated so as to achieve economies of scale and help diffusion of broadband to rural areas.

The Information Society Strategy (2006-2010) is complemented by the annexed Action Plan (2006-2010), adopted along with the Strategy by the High Planning Council in July 2006. The Plan covers the activities and the projects that will be put into practice during the implementation period of the Information Society Strategy in order to achieve the envisaged strategic targets and objec­tives. Related to the Modernization of the Public Administration, the Plan contains 21 distinct actions, related to the following main themes:

• Information Society Organisational Struc­ture and Governance
• Common/Shared Technology Services and Infrastructure
• Effective Procurement Management
• Data and Information Management
• Electronic Communication
• Human Resources and Competency Devel­opment
• Security and Privacy of Personal Information

Ultimate objective is to develop an effective eGovernment model via ICT, having organi­sational and process structures in conformity with country's conditions while prioritizing efficiency and citizen satisfaction.

3.

The policy document

e-Transformation Turkey Project

IST-Strategy Turkey 2006-2010

IST-Strategy Actionplan Turkey 2006-2010

4.

The gender dimension

The key focus in on prividing equal opportunities in regard to ITC access and use in society in general and in the rural areas in specific.