Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

In his speech, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu urged women entrepreneurs from 81 provinces to be role models for young girls in their cities and to encourage them to become entrepreneurs. Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized the need to increase the number of entrepreneurs in order to prosper and solve the employment problem, “Men and women are like two wings of a bird. You can't fly with one wing. We should be among the top 20 countries in the world's list of women entrepreneurs. Tell your own success story and hopes for our young girls. Lead them to be entrepreneurs.”

TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, who advised the provincial Presidents of TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Councils to develop projects, said entrepreneurs are the cement of society.  Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that countries are now importing entrepreneurs and gave an example to foreign investors in the U.S. Silicon Valley.

Stating that Minister Pekcan is an important opportunity to have risen from among their own community, Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked Minister Ruhsar Pekcan especially for her efforts in the development and dissemination of women's entrepreneurship.

Explaining that they have completed the new process in Women Entrepreneurs' Councils, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “This year we made a significant change in the electoral system. We wanted a more competitive, democratic system.  Previously, TOBB had the authority to appoint members to the executive chamber branch. This year we transferred this authority to the regional representatives. After the provincial elections, we finished our regional and executive board elections.

I say it all the time. This institution is the most democratic institution in Turkey. TOBB’s power stems from grassroots. It's the voice of the masses. It's a relay race. No matter who takes on the flag in the election, the only goal is to move it further. We have our Women Entrepreneurs' Councils Presidents in 81 provinces and members of our executive committee. Now, hopefully they will move it much further.”

- We will double the number of women entrepreneurs

The TOBB President said that their only concern is increasing the number of entrepreneurs and increasing the wealth and prosperity of the country and the nation, “And here, our biggest advantage, our hope, is women. I'm saying it sincerely because I've seen it happen. Women are more successful than men in business and social life, if given opportunity. We neglected entrepreneurship, but in order to address this, we established the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council in 2007. Praise Allah, we succeeded. When we started this endeavor, our female entrepreneur population increased from 6% to 9%. Now this structure has completed its institutionalization. It has become a brand in the chamber community in Turkey and around the world. In different countries modeling this structure, Women Entrepreneurs' Councils have been established under their chamber communities.

In other words, this structure serves to enrich not only our country, but also our region. Hopefully we'll move much faster from now on. At the meeting this morning, all our provincial council presidents made a promise. In the coming period, we will double the number of women entrepreneurs in each province.”