Global Summit in Istanbul for Women's Empowerment in Industry: "Break Down Barriers, Build the Future!"

ISTANBUL - Within the scope of the "Model Development Project for Women's Empowerment in the Manufacturing Industry", which aims to accelerate digital and green transformation in the manufacturing industry in Turkey and increase the representation of women, an international conference titled "Women's Empowerment in Industry: Break Down Barriers, Build the Future" international conference was organized. Bringing together more than 300 representatives from the public, private sector, civil society, academia and international organizations, the summit provided an important platform to strengthen policy dialogues and share best practices.

Women in the Future of Industry with €8.5 Million Project

The project, implemented in cooperation with the Turkish Confederation of Employers' Associations (TİSK), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Ministry of Industry and Technology with the support of €8.5 million from the European Union, aims to enable women from engineering and science (STEM) fields to take an active and visible role in the future of industry by specializing them in digitalization and sustainability.

Implemented in 9 pilot cities, Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli, Manisa and Tekirdağ, the project has taken important steps:

• 200 Women "Change Ambassadors": 200 women graduates of STEM fields were assigned as "change ambassadors" in manufacturing companies after receiving four months of specialized training on digitalization and sustainability.

• 200 Blue Collar "Operators": 200 "operators" selected among blue-collar women received similar training and contributed to the digital and green transformation processes.

• Training at MEXT Technology Center: All trainings were held at MEXT Technology Center, Turkey's first and largest digital and green transformation center.

• Mentor Support: Women change agents and operators were empowered by the advisory support of 100 mentors.

• Egalitarian Workplace Culture: Seminars organized under the project supported cultural transformation to increase women's employment in industry by promoting an egalitarian workplace culture.

• Transformation Roadmaps for Companies: Digital and sustainability maturity assessments (SIRI and COSIRI) were applied to 100 companies selected among nearly 400 applicants and roadmaps were prepared.

The project's application processes also attracted great interest; nearly 2,000 women applied for the "change ambassador" position and about 500 women applied for the "operator" position.

Inclusive Transformation in Manufacturing Industry Discussed with Global Participation

The opening speeches of the international conference held at Istanbul MEXT Technology Center were delivered by Özgür Burak Akkol, President of TISK, Miodrag Dragisic, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Turkey, Maria Luisa Wyganowski, Head of Cooperation Section of the EU Delegation to Turkey, and Muhammet Kasım Gönüllü, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey.

TISK President Özgür Burak Akkol emphasized that a strong and dynamic manufacturing industry is the strongest source of productive employment and stated that the project addresses digital, green and social transformation in the same framework and aims to create new jobs that strengthen the role of women in the industry.

UNDP Turkey Deputy Resident Representative Miodrag Dragisic said that women's empowerment is one of the most important drivers of sustainable development and that the project paved the way for women in manufacturing, STEM fields and leadership and enabled them to shape the industry of the future. Dragisic emphasized that these models should be expanded throughout Turkey and beyond.

Maria Luisa Wyganowski, Head of Cooperation Section at the EU Delegation to Turkey, said that inclusion is a must as economies go through green and digital transformation processes, and that women's participation in sectors increases productivity, resilience and innovation.

T.C. Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Muhammet Kasım Gönüllü stated that with this project, which is one of the most valuable fruits of the Competitive Sectors Program, they aim for women to gain the skills required by digital and green transformation and to assume stronger roles in the manufacturing industry.

The two-day conference program focused on the contribution of digital and green transformation to gender equality, inclusive financing mechanisms, women's leadership in industry, women's empowerment through skills development and cross-country experience sharing. Speakers came together with policymakers, industry representatives and civil society actors to evaluate concrete solutions for inclusive transformation in the manufacturing industry and contributed to the identification of roadmaps towards this goal.