Women Drive Economic Recovery in Hatay, Turkiye

Over 150 women entrepreneurs, as well as representatives from private firms, public organizations, and investors, attended the "Gender Responsive Economic Recovery: Growing the Economy with Women's Businesses!" conference to encourage economic recovery in the aftermath of an earthquake.

The event, which took place on November 21, 2023, in Hatay, Turkey, was co-organized by UN Women Türkiye, KAGIDER - Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, and Hepsiburada, a well-known Turkish e-commerce company.

It was an important component of the Regional Women's Entrepreneurship EXPO 2023, which sought to boost women's participation in economic activities and support their businesses.

Asya Varbanova, Country Director of UN Women Türkiye, stressed the need of women's full and equal participation in economic recovery efforts, highlighting the event's goal of offering practical assistance to female entrepreneurs and cooperatives in rebuilding their enterprises. President of KAGIDER, Esra Bezircioğlu, emphasized the necessity of incorporating women's energy and potential into the recovery process to revitalize the local economy.

Nilhan Onal Gökçetekin, CEO of Hepsiburada, emphasized the company's dedication to promoting women's entrepreneurship through initiatives such as the 'Trade and Technology Power to the Earthquake Region' program. The conference also included interactive seminars on e-commerce preparation, marketing tactics, and online sales, which provided attendees with vital skills and knowledge.

Looking ahead, UN Women Türkiye, Hepsiburada, and KAGIDER intend to create a buying initiative to support women-owned companies in the region, with a focus on International Women's Day, March 8. Furthermore, women entrepreneurs will benefit from free registration on sites such as 'Women of Trade' for mentorship.

This event, part of the "Enhancing Women's Leadership and Gender Equality in Politics and Business" project, which is funded by Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, highlights collaborative efforts to empower women economically and promote gender equality.