Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The opening speeches of the meeting, attended by TOBB Director of Sectors and Entrepreneurship A. Saygın Baban and members of the TOBB Ankara Women Entrepreneurs Council, were delivered by Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, TOBB Board Member and Ankara Chamber of Industry Chairman Seyit Ardıç, and TOBB Ankara Women Entrepreneurs Council Chair Hande Öztürk.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, TOBB Board Member Seyit Ardıç stated that the presence of women in the business world is one of the fundamental elements of social and economic development, saying, “Without women’s intellect, labor, and creativity, transformation in industry cannot be fully realized. Our women entrepreneurs need to take a greater role in industry, production, and innovation.”

Ardıç highlighted the progress made in women’s entrepreneurship and employment, noting that according to TÜİK data, the percentage of women entrepreneurs rose from 13.1% in 2002 to 18.2% in 2024. “During the same period, the female labor force participation rate rose from 27.9% to 36.8%, while the female employment rate rose from 25.3% to 32.5%. These statistics show that there has been both quantitative and qualitative progress in women’s participation in economic life in our country over the past 20 years.”

Emphasizing that policies supporting women’s entrepreneurship are of strategic importance not only in terms of equal opportunities but also in terms of productivity and innovation, Ardıç suggested that “a ‘Women Entrepreneurs Guarantee Fund’ similar to the Credit Guarantee Fund could be established for women entrepreneurs, tax breaks and interest-free investment loans could be provided to women’s cooperatives, Affirmative action could be applied to businesses owned by women in Organized Industrial Zones.”

Stating that the Ankara Chamber of Industry attaches great importance to supporting women entrepreneurs, President Ardıç said, “We are developing mentoring, training, and access to finance programs to enable women entrepreneurs to participate more strongly in the industrial ecosystem. We encourage businesses that increase female employment and make good examples visible.”

In his speech, President Ardıç also touched upon the government’s efforts in the areas of women’s employment and entrepreneurship, noting that the projects carried out by the Ministry of Family and Social Services have yielded tangible results in the field. 

President Ardıç said, “The steps taken within the scope of the Women’s Empowerment Strategy Document and Action Plan have given a strong impetus to our country’s social justice and development goals.”

Expressing their satisfaction with the inclusion of TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Councils in the Women’s Empowerment Coordination Board established under the auspices of the Minister of Family and Social Services with the presidential decree issued on March 8, International Women’s Day, President Ardıç said, “We are proud to contribute to the work carried out in this area. I would like to thank our Minister for her visionary leadership and support for women’s entrepreneurship.”

Ardıç stated that the Women Entrepreneurs Council, established under the visionary leadership of TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, plays a pioneering role in women’s participation in economic life, adding that they also follow the work of Ankara Women Entrepreneurs Council President Hande Öztürk and the council members with appreciation.

Ardıç concluded his remarks by saying, “Strong women mean a strong society and a strong country. As the Ankara Chamber of Industry, we will continue to fulfill every duty that falls upon us to make our women entrepreneurs more visible, stronger, and more productive.”

“Women’s participation in economic life increases social welfare.”

In her speech at the meeting, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said she was very happy to be with Ankara’s productive and visionary women, adding that women entrepreneurs add value to the country’s development and the city’s progress.

Emphasizing that women entrepreneurs are the strongest link in sustainable development, Göktaş said, “As women’s participation in economic life increases, productivity increases, innovation increases, and social welfare rises. Women entrepreneurs are pioneers who create employment, diversify production, bring innovation, and bring social responsibility awareness to the economy.”

Pointing out that women entrepreneurs play an undeniable role in strengthening local development, Göktaş said that they therefore view women becoming more visible, powerful, and effective in the economy as a development issue.

Hande Öztürk, Chair of the TOBB Ankara Women Entrepreneurs Council, also stated that women’s entrepreneurship is one of the most important elements of sustainable development, noting: “According to World Bank data, companies with a majority of female managers are 34% more profitable. When the percentage of girls attending school increases by 10%, the country’s gross domestic product rises by an average of 3%. With women making up 50% of our population, we cannot afford to leave our women behind in the development of our country. We must educate our girls, employ women, ensure women are represented in management positions, and increase the number of entrepreneurs by enabling women and young people to pursue entrepreneurship as a profession.”