Türkiye mulls deals, vision at UN Women summit
Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş speaks at an event, Istanbul, Türkiye, March 7, 2026. (AA Photo)


Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş will attend the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday.

According to a ministry statement, it is the highest-attended U.N. event after the General Assembly. It will bring together representatives of member states from across the globe.

The session's priority theme focuses on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, promoting inclusive legal systems, and eliminating discriminatory laws and structural barriers. The review theme will examine the full participation of women in public life and decision-making to eliminate violence.

Göktaş is scheduled to deliver Türkiye’s National Statement during the opening general discussion on Monday.

On Tuesday, she will participate in a roundtable at U.N. headquarters to share Türkiye’s best practices regarding women’s access to justice. She will also speak at a side event hosted by the ministry titled, "The Future of Justice: Technological Approaches Strengthening Women’s Access to Justice."

Organized in cooperation with Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Egypt, and the U.N. Women and Women and Democracy Association (KADEM), the event will highlight Türkiye’s digital infrastructure in combating violence against women. This includes digital applications developed under Law No. 6284, early warning systems and electronic monitoring tools.

As part of the program, the ministry will partner with the e-commerce platform Hepsiburada to open an exhibition at Turkish House (Türkevi) titled, "From Roots to the Future: Women's Labor and Craft."

The ministry will also host a dinner program titled "Common Tables, Common Future: Iftar for Women's Empowerment." The event is expected to draw 150 high-level officials, including 22 ministers, from 30 countries and five international organizations. Representatives from U.N. agencies such as the UNFPA, UNICEF and U.N. Women will attend to observe the contributions of women to production and employment.

On Wednesday, Göktaş will attend a signing ceremony for a cooperation protocol between the ministry and Turkish Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED) to promote gender equality in business and supply chain practices.

Later, she will speak at a joint event with Serbia titled, "The Critical Role of Women: Strategic Partnerships for Empowerment," focusing on women’s leadership and the social inclusion of elderly women.

On Thursday, the minister will deliver opening remarks at a side event organized with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Gambia. The discussion will focus on Türkiye’s policies and field experience in combating new technology-based forms of violence.

Göktaş will also serve as a keynote speaker at various international panels organized by NGOs and business groups.