One of Turkey’s top business associations has been increasing support for female entrepreneurs and says it is an endeavor to help expand the number of women-led enterprises and ensure their greater participation in the workforce.

Looking to shed light on the matter, the Independent Industrialists and Businesspersons Association (MÜSIAD) Women organized the International Awareness Summit 2022 (IAS’22) in Istanbul, which addressed the effect of women in all segments of social and business life.

The event also addressed the matter of environment and health, entrepreneurship and digitalization.

Addressing the summit, held under the theme "Transformation Begins with Us," MÜSIAD Women’s President Meryem Ilbahar stressed the association’s efforts and awareness-raising activities.

"As the business women’s community, we believe that increasing the number of female employers in the business world, developing and strengthening this potential will undoubtedly contribute positively to both employment and the country’s economy," Ilbahar said.

Studies have long stressed that increasing support for female entrepreneurs could boost the global economy by trillions of dollars, but they have also found that women who start businesses face more challenges than men.

"The participation of women in the workforce is also very important for the sustainability of economic and social life," Ilbahar said. "We say ‘sustainability’ because the development and dissemination of practices that maintain the balance of work and private life will bring about an increase in productivity and motivation."

At the same time, she said digital entrepreneurship has an important place in terms of contributing to both economic growth, employment opportunities and innovation.

"It is important for women in business life. One of our areas of work is to support women’s entrepreneurship and strengthen existing initiatives. In this sense, we are committed to providing training and mentoring infrastructure to entrepreneurial activities, facilitating access to the network and acting as a bridge. We are aware of our responsibility," she noted.

The event also addressed migration through a panel during which Ilbahar underlined that "no one voluntarily migrated in crisis regions."

"Migration is a test for those who emigrate, but it is also a test for those of us who open our doors to them" she noted. "Our civilization is full of examples where people from different geographies, different races and languages can coexist. We must strive to restore these colors, to highlight the good, the beautiful and the virtuous."

Also speaking at the event, MÜSIAD President Mahmut Asmalı pointed out to the intense efforts that he said are being made to increase the number of employer women.

"Women’s participation in working life to a large extent in recent years and their involvement in entrepreneurship activities by taking a more active role has a strategic importance for developing economies," Asmalı noted.

"The way to activate the unused potential in both production and employment and to create new business fields is to encourage women’s entrepreneurship and employment."

Asmalı stressed the association is supporting the policies and projects that will ensure greater engagement of women in economic life.