20.11.2019 Ankara
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Women Entrepreneurs Council Executive Committee Presidents and TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council members convened, hosted by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu. Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan also attended the meeting at the TOBB twin Towers.
In
his speech, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu urged women entrepreneurs
from 81 provinces to be role models for young girls in their cities and to
encourage them to become entrepreneurs. Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized the need to
increase the number of entrepreneurs in order to prosper and solve the
employment problem, “Men and women are like two wings of a bird. You can't fly
with one wing. We should be among the top 20 countries in the world's list of
women entrepreneurs. Tell your own success story and hopes for our young girls.
Lead them to be entrepreneurs.”
TOBB
President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, who advised the provincial Presidents of TOBB Women
Entrepreneurs Councils to develop projects, said entrepreneurs are the cement
of society. Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out
that countries are now importing entrepreneurs and gave an example to foreign
investors in the U.S. Silicon Valley.
Stating
that Minister Pekcan is an important opportunity to have risen from among their
own community, Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked Minister Ruhsar Pekcan especially for her
efforts in the development and dissemination of women's entrepreneurship.
Explaining
that they have completed the new process in Women Entrepreneurs' Councils,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “This year we made a significant change in the electoral
system. We wanted a more competitive, democratic system. Previously, TOBB had the authority to appoint
members to the executive chamber branch. This year we transferred this
authority to the regional representatives. After the provincial elections, we
finished our regional and executive board elections.
I
say it all the time. This institution is the most democratic institution in
Turkey. TOBB’s power stems from grassroots. It's the voice of the masses. It's
a relay race. No matter who takes on the flag in the election, the only goal is
to move it further. We have our Women Entrepreneurs' Councils Presidents in 81
provinces and members of our executive committee. Now, hopefully they will move
it much further.”
- We will double the number of
women entrepreneurs
The
TOBB President said that their only concern is increasing the number of
entrepreneurs and increasing the wealth and prosperity of the country and the
nation, “And here, our biggest advantage, our hope, is women. I'm saying it
sincerely because I've seen it happen. Women are more successful than men in
business and social life, if given opportunity. We neglected entrepreneurship, but
in order to address this, we established the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council in
2007. Praise Allah, we succeeded. When we started this endeavor, our female
entrepreneur population increased from 6% to 9%. Now this structure has
completed its institutionalization. It has become a brand in the chamber community
in Turkey and around the world. In different countries modeling this structure,
Women Entrepreneurs' Councils have been established under their chamber
communities.
In
other words, this structure serves to enrich not only our country, but also our
region. Hopefully we'll move much faster from now on. At the meeting this
morning, all our provincial council presidents made a promise. In the coming
period, we will double the number of women entrepreneurs in each province.”