Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB KGK President Aynur Bektaş presented the Minister Şahin with well wishes and told her that they’d come to visit her from various regions of Turkey.

Bektaş requested that a “life water credit” or fund aimed at women be created. Stating that women have trouble growing their businesses, Bektaş said, “We request that you take the first steps to ensure that, within reason, businesswomen have easier access to finances via a fund only for businesswomen.”

After Bektaş’ speech, Gülden Yılmaz of the TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Council briefed Minister Şahin on a project they were working on.

- Family and Social Policies Minister Şahin

Family and Social Policies Minister Şahin stated that they had worked together and have been friends with President Bektaş, and went on to say, “I congratulate you on behalf of Turkish and Anatolian women for your organized initiative. I would like to state that we will be working together in all fields from here on end.”

Minister Şahin went on to provide information on the state of the Family and Social Policies Ministry. Stating that they monitor the women’s rights movement under four categories, Şahin said, “The first of these is education, the second employment, third equal opportunity and lastly violence prevention.”

Stating that they do not want a Turkey that is headlined by third page news, Şahin said, “We have started work on the legislative end. The draft has been drawn and presented to the public. For the last 10 days, we have been discussing the subject, hosted by the Women’s Status General Director. We have convened the bar chairmen and family court judges. We have consulted with 41 NGOs. We have gathered the directors of the women’s sanctuaries to hold council. We have invited all municipal and NGO executive directors and listened to their opinions. The legislative infrastructure is complete, this is teamwork. With the Parliament reconvening on October 1st, it is our goal to have this draft ready to be presented.”

Stating their aim to enact protective and preventative measures, Minister Şahin emphasized the importance of the Family Social Support Expert Project.

Speaking about the project, Şahin said, “We want every family to have a social support expert in addition to their doctors and we are on the planning phase of this project. The goal of the project is to be with the family before anything untoward occurs and reduce risks. We will train experts and send them into the field.

We will create a mechanism where we can control all factors. Work on the project has started rapidly under the direction of our undersecretary.”