WOMEN FROM ESKİŞEHİR SETTING A ROLE MODEL FOR TURKEY

Women entrepreneurs from Eskişehir are leading the way in gender equality across Turkey. Eskişehir was the only province invited to participate in an online follow-up meeting organized by TEPAV, Habitat, UNDP, and INGEV, which evaluated the UNDP 2020 Human Development Report, demonstrating Eskişehir’s significant progress in this field.

Eskişehir, recognized for its exemplary initiatives in various fields, is now becoming a model for women’s empowerment. The TOBB Eskişehir Provincial Women Entrepreneurs Board, coordinated by the Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce (ETO), set a national example in 2021 with its action plan on gender equality. During the online meeting, Gender Equality in the Anthropocene from the TEPAV Perspective, TOBB Eskişehir Women Entrepreneurs Board President Elif Gürkaynak represented Eskişehir as a speaker.

Eskişehir’s Action Plan in Place

In the panel featuring notable speakers like TEPAV Executive Director Güven Sak, Habitat Association Chairman Sezai Hazır, and TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Board President Nurten Öztürk, Gürkaynak presented Eskişehir’s approach to gender equality and its action plan for 2021. She highlighted Eskişehir’s commitment to making gender equality a core area of focus.

Emphasis on Local Development from Eskişehir

Referring to Turkey’s position in the UNDP 2020 Human Development Index, where Turkey ranks 54th out of 189 countries with a score of 0.820, Gürkaynak noted that Turkey has solidified its position in the “very high human development” category, improving from 59th place the previous year. However, she emphasized that Turkey’s current standing, far behind countries like Norway and Switzerland, is not satisfactory. Gürkaynak advocated that progress in gender equality should start locally and outlined ongoing and planned initiatives in Eskişehir.

Eskişehir to Set an Example in 2021

Gürkaynak noted that in 2021, gender equality will continue to be a focal point in Eskişehir. She shared ETO’s efforts to help women’s cooperatives in Eskişehir benefit from Ministry of Trade support programs. Gürkaynak also discussed the 2009-2019 Eskişehir Women Entrepreneurs Report, prepared in collaboration with ESOGÜ ESKAM. Her presentation was well-received and praised as a model for women’s empowerment initiatives across Turkey.