The panel series, which brings together the “We Carry for Women” project, implemented with the cooperation of DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit and KAGIDER, with the business world and female exporters in Anatolia with the support of Dünya Newspaper, continues to reach exporters in different cities one after the other. In this context, the digital panels series finally met with the exporters in Denizli.
The series of digital panels, which started last year, does not slow down in 2022. At the last stop of the meeting, ways to improve women’s participation in the economy and the logistical support provided by the project were discussed.
“We Carry for Women – Anatolian Meetings” to Denizli meeting KAGIDER Chairman of the Board Emine Erdem, DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit Sales and Business Development Director Önder Başboğa, Denizli Chambers of Industry President Müjdat Keçeci, TİM Women’s Council Member Mukaddes Başkaya, DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit, who also acted as the moderator of the meeting, communication and Marketing Manager Özlem Dalga and Dünya Newspaper General Coordinator and writer Vahap Munyar attended as panelists.
Stronger women with strong collaborations
Emine Erdem, Chairman of the Board of KAGIDER, spoke at the meeting: “We have been working with the mission of developing women’s entrepreneurship in our country for 20 years. While the rate of women entrepreneurs was 4% in 2002, it has risen to 14% today. I think that DFDS and KAGIDER’s “We Carry for Women” project is one of the exemplary projects that serve this purpose.” Erdem also stated that they carried out the first Women Entrepreneurs Index Survey when they first set out 2 years ago, adding that as a result of the research, it was revealed that women entrepreneurs wanted to expand abroad. She added that the meeting in Denizli served as a lever and triggering force for women entrepreneurs to expand abroad.
Support grows with 46 logistics partners
Özlem Dalgapanelde, Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager of DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit, stated that they started the “We Carry for Women” project about 2 years ago with KAGIDER and conveyed how valuable it has become to support the exports of women entrepreneurs, especially during the pandemic period. Dalga stated that they carried out 23 transports and supported 13 women entrepreneurs, reaching 46 logistics partners in this project and that the way to improve the figures related to women is through the cooperation of companies, institutions, and STKs (NGOs).
DFDS Mediterranean Business Unit Sales and Business Development Director Önder Başboğa at the panel, when they look at both the number and rates of women entrepreneurs and the employment rates of women in the total population in Turkey, these numbers are quite low. On the other hand, she stated that women workers, women’s employment, and women entrepreneurs should take part in business life to make the development, development, or level of societies sustainable.
Denizli is the second province that employs the most women in Turkey.
In his speech at the panel, Denizli Chamber of Industry Chairman Müjdat Keçeci said that as Denizli Chamber of Industry, they attach great importance to women, that 48% of those working in textiles in Denizli today are women, and that Denizli is the second province in Turkey that employs the most women. Keçeci stated that this rate is not satisfactory and said that they especially want women to be in important places in the society and economic future and they support this.
TİM Women’s Council Member Mukaddes Başkaya mentioned the support needed by women entrepreneurs in the panel and stated that entrepreneurs need mentoring and encouragement. Stating that as Denizli, they have shown a continuous increase in exports, Başkaya stated that there was a 20% increase in exports in February. Mukaddes Başkaya also announced that Denizli has risen to 8th place in the export ranking in 2021. Başkaya added that especially at the point we have come to with the pandemic, digitalization can make a world-integrated business venture much easier, and that it is very important to encourage women for this.