Under the coordination of İzmir Commodity Exchange (ITB), the stakeholder meeting of the project “İzmir is Searching for Stars of Equality”, carried out by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) İzmir Women Entrepreneurs Board, together with Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Business Administration, with the support of UNWOMEN, was held. İzmir Women Entrepreneurs Executive Board Chairman Aysel Öztezel stated that the implementation of gender equality in working life is of great importance for healthy and productive economic growth and called on all companies that are sensitive to this issue to be included in the project.
“Izmir is Searching for Equality Stars”, carried out by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Izmir Women Entrepreneurs Board together with Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Business Administration and supported by UNWOMEN, under the coordination of Izmir Commodity Exchange (ITB) in order to raise awareness in gender equality. stakeholder meeting of the project was held at Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Business Administration.
Making the opening speech of the meeting, TOBB İzmir Women Entrepreneurs Executive Board Chairman Aysel Öztezel underlined that we are not in a sufficient position in terms of gender equality. .We call on all our companies in İzmir, which are signatories of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), who want to set an example by sharing their experiences, and who are open to new information, change and transformation and want to work in this field, to be included in this project.” she said.
“The number of women in employment should increase”
Öztezel stated that a healthy and productive growth cannot be expected from an economy in which women, who make up nearly half of the total population, do not participate actively, and said, “Our main issue is to increase women's employment and ensure equality of opportunity. Our women find it difficult to get involved in business life. Almost three-quarters of women who can work live at home. One of the most important factors creating this result is the inequalities experienced by women in business life. Women experience serious grievances, especially in terms of equal pay for equal work. For this reason, it is of great importance to ensure the implementation of gender equality in working life.
The main stakeholder of the project, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Business Administration Dean Prof. Dr. Çağnur Balsarı stated that since 2013, they have been carrying out very strong studies within the faculty for the empowerment of women and girls in every field; In this context, she explained that they created a sustainable brand in this field with “women in business life”, “gender equality” courses and the “Orange Summit” they organized with university-high school students from all over Turkey and UN agencies for six years. He said that they established a network that can reach thousands of young people with “Platform Up”, the first international sustainable development student community of the Aegean Region.
Meltem Kolday, the Coordinator of Relations with Non-Governmental Organizations at Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Business, in her presentation as the project coordinator, said that to make companies and managers working in the field of gender equality visible in Izmir, to create a network of cooperation between companies, to create awareness through role models and experience sharing. He emphasized the importance of working in coordination by explaining the multi-stakeholder structure and aims of the project, such as including university students at every stage of these processes.
Also at the meeting, TOBB İzmir KGK Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board TYH Tekstil Executive Board Member Zeynep Öner, İnci Holding Human Resources Director Elif İçören, UNWOMEN Private Sector Collaborations Analyst Pınar Akçayöz De Neve, Akbank Training Systems and Competency Development Manager Diğdem Dökmeci and Akbank IK Lab. Manager Gümrah Alayoğlu shared their gender equality studies regarding their institutions.
In her presentation, Diğdem Dökmeci said that under the umbrella of Akbank Transformation Academy, which they launched this year, many different development programs such as "e-commerce, e-export, digital marketing and social media management" specific to İzmir Equality Stars and banking products special for people who complete these development programs are offered. conveyed the information that they will offer different advantages.
The meeting ended with the message that works will continue to create a strong and sustainable ecosystem in the field of gender equality in İzmir with the support of UNWOMEN.
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