The “Women, Society and the Future Panel” was held at the Conference Hall of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.
The panel began with opening remarks from Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran.
The panel was moderated by Prof. Emine Sare Aydın, a faculty member of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Istanbul Ticaret University.
Speaking at the panel, Prof. Aydın emphasised that the issue of women cannot be confined solely to debates on equality, stating,
“The issue of women is not merely a matter of equality. It is also a matter of justice and equity; one of the fundamental criteria for living together and building a just society.”
Deputy Minister of the Interior Assoc. Prof. Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı shared data regarding the Women Support Application (KADES), stating,
“The fact that the KADES application, which provides services in 11 languages, has been downloaded 8.9 million times is a significant indicator of women’s trust in this security mechanism.”
Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Fatma Varank drew attention to the role of women in post-disaster response, noting,
“In the aftermath of disasters, the helping hand extended to women and children often carries a different meaning when it is a woman’s hand. In the field, women become a powerful symbol of compassion, mercy and accessibility.”
KADEM Board Member Sedide Yılmaz Akbulut also highlighted the central role of women in social life, stating,
“Women are not figures standing on the margins of life; they are at its very centre. A society that diminishes women diminishes itself.”
Fadime Özkan, Ankara Representative of Star Newspaper and journalist-author, addressed the media’s past approach to women in Türkiye and stated,
“For many years during the period of coups and tutelage, the media in Türkiye categorised women. Women without headscarves were presented to society as ‘modern’ role models, while religious women wearing headscarves were pushed into a second-class position. This unfortunate chapter has come to an end thanks to the forward-looking, confidence-building and opportunity-creating policies of our President.”
