05.12.2019 İstanbul
Attending the 2020 launch of the My Sister Project organized by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in collaboration with Istanbul Technical University, Coca-Cola and Habitat and the Local Delicacies Competition award ceremony, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that 20,000 women participated in the trainings held in 30 provinces within the scope of the project so far, said the 2020 goal is to reach 40,000 women in 10 cities.
TOBB
President Hisarciklıoğlu noted that within the scope of My Sister Project,
entrepreneurship, digital literacy, communication, financial consciousness and
applied basic finance, parent and information security trainings will continue.
Noting that it is also the 85th anniversary of Turkish women gaining
the right to vote and be elected, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In this way, women's position
in political and social life had been strengthened and one of the most
important steps taken in the name of participatory democracy. Women who produce,
women who labors means stronger women and stronger society. For a strong
tomorrow, with the strength we get from each other, as men and women, we need
to walk together. I celebrate the World
Women's Rights Day of December 5th and wish a healthy, happy and
successful life for all our women who add value to our country with their work
and achievements.”
Noting
that My Sister Project includes educational content in finance, IT,
communication and entrepreneurship developed by ITU, Hisarciklıoğlu said, “Our
TOBB Women Entrepreneur Councils have adopted the project as their own their provinces.
They encourage women to participate in trainings. HABITAT is hands-on with the
project.
They
undertook trainings with volunteers all over Turkey. The Atlanta-based
Coca-Cola Foundation supported the project financially. I would like to take
this opportunity to thank my dear friend Muhtar Kent, chairman of the Board of
Directors of The Coca-Cola Company at the beginning of the project. Our project
was brought before the Coca-Cola Foundation thanks to Mr. Muhtar.”
Hisarciklıoğlu
stated that the My Sister Project is a project that directly contributes to 8
of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, “It aims to reduce
both male-female inequality. It aims to increase both women's entrepreneurship
and to bring about a better future for children. It also highlights private
sector-civil society co-operation for sustainable development. Today we are
launching the My Sister Project 2020. We're awarding the winners of the Local
Delicacies Contest. My Sister Project has received 11 national and
international awards to date for supporting women's entrepreneurship. In 2020,
we hope to reach 10,000 women in 40 cities. Within the scope of My Sister Project,
entrepreneurship for women, digital literacy, communication, financial
consciousness and applied basic finance, parental and information security
trainings will be provided.”
- Take ownership of local
delicacies with geographic markers
Noting
that TOBB and Chamber-Exchange community is taking ownership of the values of
provinces, districts and local tastes by registering them as geographically
marked products, Hisarciklıoğlu said, “We launched the Local Delicacies
Competition both to increase the value of our local delicacies and to support
our women's initiatives in Anatolia. In this competition, I also find it meaningful
to have the focus in Turkish cuisine. We have one of the richest cuisines in
the world. But we have a long way to go to turn this wealth into commercial
income, and 12 out of every $100 on average for a tourist going to Greece and
Spain goes to the food and beverage industry. In Turkey, this amount is only
$6. They’re taking advantage of the opportunity to market their product
correctly. We received 114 applications from 29 provinces within the scope of
the competition. We evaluated the applications based on the manager's operating
skills and future plans.”
TOBB
President reported that 11 women entrepreneurs who own restaurants who want to
grow their business and have a solid roadmap have been awarded prizes, “I want
you to know that we are with you to grow your achievements.”
- TOBB's support for women
entrepreneurs
Reminding
that they established the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Women
Entrepreneurs Council in 2007, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“The
aim of our Councils is to increase the number of women entrepreneurs in 81
provinces. Of all entrepreneurs in Turkey, the proportion of women increased
from 4% in 2007 to 9% in 2018. I see no need to be humble in this regard. If
entrepreneurship in Turkey has begun to be talked about so much, the biggest
role in this is TOBB’s Women and Young Entrepreneur Boards. Approximately 7,000 volunteer female
entrepreneurs have mobilized for this purpose in coordination with our Chambers
and Commodity Exchanges in their provinces.
The
first task of the Councils is to bring successful women entrepreneurs to the
forefront as role models. Make other women say, ‘If she did it, I can do it.’
We must oppose established gender roles. The 'woman's place is home' approach
is unacceptable. Women should be in every aspect of life. Just like men, women
have things to contribute at home and at work. The perspective needs to change,
the language used needs to change.”
- Just say ‘word” instead of “man’s
word”
“Remember,
love begins in language; if the language changes, the world changes. Let's say
'right person' instead of like a man’, 'word' instead of 'man's word'. Let me
tell you about a situation that I've encountered a lot in business and that's
actually bothering me. In our culture, we have to exemplify a man who has
sacrificed his home, his life, and who succeeds, and we appreciate people like
that as “Bravo, he worked hard and succeeded.”
But
when a woman demonstrates the same work and sacrifice, we don't appreciate it
the same way, we criticize them for being over-ambitious.
There's
no gender in hard work and success. I'd especially like to tell my women entrepreneur
sisters. Close your ears to such criticisms. Today, those who criticize you for
ambition will come to you anyway when you succeed. Don't sacrifice your
potential to worrying about what people will say. I am happy to present today's
awards to the hardworking women entrepreneurs of Anatolia.”
- Other speakers
Zeynep
Erkunt Armağan, President of the TOBB Board of Women Entrepreneurs, also
emphasized the importance of volunteerism in her speech. Armağan expressed her desire
to pass on the things she has learned over the years to the new generations and
explained the importance of equality between men and women. Zeynep Erkunt Armağan,
who noted that they have opened the way for women, said that creative new ideas
are needed moving forward.
Istanbul
Technical University (ITU) Rector Prof.Dr. Mehmet Karaca stated that the most
entrepreneurial technopark in Turkey is in its universities and that they
reached more than 18,000 women in 40 different cities.