UN Türkiye celebrated International Women’s Day with the “Investing in Women for Progress” event attended by the Minister of Family and Social Services

“When you invest in women and girls and develop their skills and opportunities, you invest in prosperous nations and sustainable development for all” said Paolo Marchi, United Nations (UN) Deputy Resident Coordinator in Türkiye. 

“Investing in women and girls means investing in women’s organizations; it means investing in girls’ education, in women-led businesses, in programmes to end violence against women and girls, in women’s inclusion in peacebuilding and climate action ” added Marchi, who delivered the opening speech at the “Investing in Women for Progress” event organised by UN Türkiye for International Women’s Day. 

“On this International Women’s Day, let us renew our commitment to create positive change for women in Türkiye and around the world,” emphasised the Acting Resident Coordinator, who is also the UNICEF Representative in Türkiye. 

Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Minister of Family and Social Services, who was the guest of honour at the UN event held on 6 March for International Women’s Day, stated that she wants women and girls to play an active role in all areas of life, without facing any discrimination, and that she finds every effort made towards this goal important.

Stating that 70 per cent of those who lost their lives in Gaza were women and children, Göktaş said that according to UN estimates, more than 1 million women and girls were displaced.

Expressing that women also have an important role in ensuring peace, Göktaş said: “We believe that the active participation of women in the peace process will bring success. We will express this feeling at the 68th meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which will start on 11 March. As Türkiye, we will continue to make every effort to ensure that women and girls have a safe and healthy life for the future of the world.”

Şehnaz Bahçeci Kıymaz, who made the thematic speech of the International Women’s Day event attended by representatives of public institutions, Ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic missions, United Nations Country Team, civil society and private sector representatives, stated that this year’s priority theme of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women coincided with a very appropriate time.

“As member states come together to negotiate on the theme and goal of ‘Addressing poverty, accelerating the achievement of gender equality through strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective, and empowering all women and girls’, civil society will make a stronger voice than ever for stronger commitments from member states with the desire to achieve inclusive and equitable societies. And again, it will be feminist and women’s civil society organisations that will be the strongest advocates for using the Commission’s conclusions for meaningful change in their own countries.”

Bahçeci, who is a Gender Equality, Intergovernmental Processes and Advocacy Expert, said: “Today, while inequalities across the world are becoming deeper and more visible, the call for a more just and equitable world is echoing in every corner. Let’s join hands and build a future where every woman and girl can use her potential fearlessly, comfortably and happily. Let this meeting also be a declaration of intent and a commitment to create a world where our wish for an equal and fair life is realised and where all women and girls can access and use their full potential with all their differences.”

A video containing the messages of the United Nations Country Team members on International Women’s Day was also shown at the event. In the video, representatives of UN organisations called for a more equal and just world for all, where every woman and girl can succeed.

Within the scope of the event, a panel session titled “Why Investing in Equality is Important” was organised under the moderation of Zeliha Ünaldı, Deputy Country Director of UN Women.

Panelists with diverse backgrounds shared their knowledge, experience and stories of how investing in women’s empowerment makes a difference in terms contributing to equality, recovery and development in the community.

Prof. Ayşe Akın, Director of Başkent University Women-Child Health and Family Planning Research and Application Centre, Canan Güllü, President of Federation of Women’s Associations of Türkiye, Eda Yabancı, Youth Climate Ambassador and Co-Coordinator of Youth for Equality Group, Assoc. Prof. Emel Memiş, from Ankara University Department of Economics, Gürsel Appa, President of Orange Hands Agricultural Development Cooperative, and Dr. Zakira Hekmat, Founder and President of Afghan Refugees Solidarity and Assistance Association, emphasised that investments in women’s education, inclusion, women’s initiatives, access to services, women’s organisations, in other words, investments in equality benefit everyone and all humanity.