Women’s progress in focus
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Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 06, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - More can still be done to improve Turkish women's positions within society, such as increasing the rates of female employment and entrepreneurship, says the European Commission's Michael Leigh. A U.S. ambassador for women's issues also questiones whether there is decline in female employment in Turkey.
Two high-level bureaucrats from the European Union and the United States questioned the progress of women’s positions in Turkey at the First International Women’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit, which ended Friday at the Marmara Hotel.
More can still be done in Turkey to improve women’s positions within society, including increasing the rates of female employment and entrepreneurship, said Michael Leigh of the European Commission’s Director General for Enlargement. Leigh spoke on Thursday, the first day of the summit, in the session titled "Role of Economic and Political Strategies in Fostering Entrepreneurship in the EU and the Global Sphere." The summit was organized by the Women Entrepreneurs Association, or KAGİDER, and Garanti Bank.
The other high-level bureaucrat commenting on the issue was Melanne Verveer, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for women’s global issues. Verveer participated in a meeting with reporters Thursday where she noted that the female employment rate in Turkey is around 20 percent and expressed concern that this figure is decreasing.
"Actually, I ask about this ratio as well: It is decreasing, it is like there is no progress," said Verveer. "Is it because of the economic crisis? I really do not know the answer."
Leigh noted that although the situation for women in the EU is far from perfect, the European countries have long been working on the issue and are ready to share their experience. "It is critical to transform the legal framework [about women] into a social and economic reality," he said.
The majority of women employed in Turkey work informally, according to Nurşen Numanoğlu, the director of sectoral and regional policies for the Secretariat General for EU Affairs, who spoke in the same session as Leigh. She said that 60.02 percent of Turkish women work informally, and 73 percent of this number work in the agricultural sector. Numanoğlu also noted that the female participation in the formal workforce is low: 20 percent in urban areas and 32 percent in rural areas.
Tolga Egemen, the vice president of Garanti Bank, said although the number of female entrepreneurs is low, the bank has plenty of female customers who ask many questions when they meet with bank employees. "This is a sign," he said. A participant in the session demanded that Leigh pressure the government to apply a quota for women’s participation in politics. "The only way to increase women’s participation is a quota," said Gönül İşler, the head of the Association to Protect Woman’s Rights. "If the EU pressures the government, a quota will be put into practice."
Leigh responded that it is not the EU’s role to pressure the government, but the Turkish bodies’ own responsibility to find the right method to increase women’s participation in politics.
Charlotte Ponticelli, an adviser to the U.S. government, said that women’s issues should not be considered separately from other issues, such as education and labor. "It is critical to make sure that other issues stand together with women’s issues," she said, calling for such an "integrated approach."
Women in the US
At the summit, Verveer also spoke about the situation in the U.S., where the majority of owners of small and medium-sized businesses are women, who often face the problem of creating a balance between their families and work. "There is no social infrastructure in U.S. for this," she said. "There are some supports for child care, and spending on children can be exempt from taxes, however, this are not enough for many people."
Women in the U.S., who comprise 50 percent of the workforce, earn less then men for doing the same jobs, she added, noting that the United States still has steps to take.
Women share experiences
Another interesting session in the women entrepreneurship summit was Friday’s plenary session titled "Women Entrepreneurs and Leaders: Strategies for Success."
Some of the speakers for the session included: Linda Alepin, the founding director of the Global Women’s Leadership Network and executive professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University; Meltem Kurtsan, the head of the Istanbul Women Entrepreneurs Council at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce; and Stefanie Babst, NATO deputy assistant secretary for Communication Coordination in the NATO Division for Public Diplomacy.
Alepin shared the cases of three women that she defined as social entrepreneurs who "not only fish and teach to fish, but also change the fishing sector." The cases Alepin elaborated on were Lucly Chatteri from Nepal, Ruth De Golia from Guatemala and Tara Agacayak from Turkey.
Babst shared about being one of very few women in NATO and highlighted that it is significant to encourage young women to pursue careers in defense and security areas.
Kurtsan, who is also one of the founders of Women Entrepreneurs Association, or KAGİDER, told about her own case. Kurtsan was elected as ’Global Leader for Tomorrow’ by the World Economic Forum in 1999. Kurtsan highlighted the significance of being critical and courageous. The International Women’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit concluded yesterday.
More can still be done in Turkey to improve women’s positions within society, including increasing the rates of female employment and entrepreneurship, said Michael Leigh of the European Commission’s Director General for Enlargement. Leigh spoke on Thursday, the first day of the summit, in the session titled "Role of Economic and Political Strategies in Fostering Entrepreneurship in the EU and the Global Sphere." The summit was organized by the Women Entrepreneurs Association, or KAGİDER, and Garanti Bank.
The other high-level bureaucrat commenting on the issue was Melanne Verveer, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for women’s global issues. Verveer participated in a meeting with reporters Thursday where she noted that the female employment rate in Turkey is around 20 percent and expressed concern that this figure is decreasing.
"Actually, I ask about this ratio as well: It is decreasing, it is like there is no progress," said Verveer. "Is it because of the economic crisis? I really do not know the answer."
Leigh noted that although the situation for women in the EU is far from perfect, the European countries have long been working on the issue and are ready to share their experience. "It is critical to transform the legal framework [about women] into a social and economic reality," he said.
The majority of women employed in Turkey work informally, according to Nurşen Numanoğlu, the director of sectoral and regional policies for the Secretariat General for EU Affairs, who spoke in the same session as Leigh. She said that 60.02 percent of Turkish women work informally, and 73 percent of this number work in the agricultural sector. Numanoğlu also noted that the female participation in the formal workforce is low: 20 percent in urban areas and 32 percent in rural areas.
Tolga Egemen, the vice president of Garanti Bank, said although the number of female entrepreneurs is low, the bank has plenty of female customers who ask many questions when they meet with bank employees. "This is a sign," he said. A participant in the session demanded that Leigh pressure the government to apply a quota for women’s participation in politics. "The only way to increase women’s participation is a quota," said Gönül İşler, the head of the Association to Protect Woman’s Rights. "If the EU pressures the government, a quota will be put into practice."
Leigh responded that it is not the EU’s role to pressure the government, but the Turkish bodies’ own responsibility to find the right method to increase women’s participation in politics.
Charlotte Ponticelli, an adviser to the U.S. government, said that women’s issues should not be considered separately from other issues, such as education and labor. "It is critical to make sure that other issues stand together with women’s issues," she said, calling for such an "integrated approach."
Women in the US
At the summit, Verveer also spoke about the situation in the U.S., where the majority of owners of small and medium-sized businesses are women, who often face the problem of creating a balance between their families and work. "There is no social infrastructure in U.S. for this," she said. "There are some supports for child care, and spending on children can be exempt from taxes, however, this are not enough for many people."
Women in the U.S., who comprise 50 percent of the workforce, earn less then men for doing the same jobs, she added, noting that the United States still has steps to take.
Women share experiences
Another interesting session in the women entrepreneurship summit was Friday’s plenary session titled "Women Entrepreneurs and Leaders: Strategies for Success."
Some of the speakers for the session included: Linda Alepin, the founding director of the Global Women’s Leadership Network and executive professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University; Meltem Kurtsan, the head of the Istanbul Women Entrepreneurs Council at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce; and Stefanie Babst, NATO deputy assistant secretary for Communication Coordination in the NATO Division for Public Diplomacy.
Alepin shared the cases of three women that she defined as social entrepreneurs who "not only fish and teach to fish, but also change the fishing sector." The cases Alepin elaborated on were Lucly Chatteri from Nepal, Ruth De Golia from Guatemala and Tara Agacayak from Turkey.
Babst shared about being one of very few women in NATO and highlighted that it is significant to encourage young women to pursue careers in defense and security areas.
Kurtsan, who is also one of the founders of Women Entrepreneurs Association, or KAGİDER, told about her own case. Kurtsan was elected as ’Global Leader for Tomorrow’ by the World Economic Forum in 1999. Kurtsan highlighted the significance of being critical and courageous. The International Women’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summit concluded yesterday.