President’s wife Emine Erdoğan said the burden on women has not been eased with the pressures to achieve quantitative equality and has not solved the problem adding

“Because there are huge barriers that have to be overcome in the minds. It is impossible to ease the burden on women without changing the cultural and social misperceptions and to ease the workload on women at home. Naturally women cannot advance in their careers which they have toiled to bring to a certain state in a family environment where the burden of raising the children is completely tendered to the female and women are required to run all the family affairs on their own. Of course there are several reasons why this is so and we have to study and debate them. Above all these problems that we face in a scientific manner are issues that prevent our women from actively participating in work life.”

President’s spouse Emine Erdoğan also said this situation also prevails for women’s representation and leadership in politics and in business life adding “because, they all take shape according to the perception of gender in the society.  The representation rate of women in the political sphere was quite low until recently. As you all know the participation of women in politics was in the 1930s, much before many European countries. In 1934 our women won the right to elect and be elected as parliamentarians yet this right was always defective from one angle. The right for our women wearing headscarves to be elected to Parliament was only granted with an 80-year delay in 2014 despite the fact that more than 60 percent of our women wear headscarves. All these bans have dampened the motivation of our women to exist in social life and have prevented many women from receiving proper education. Despite all this in the past 12 years these bans and similar violations have been lifted and a more free university that allows participation of women has been established. Today our women are in a much better state compared to yesterday. Sections of the society that had been alienated were reintroduced to the society. Women were encouraged to participate in politics.”

Erdoğan said she attaches importance to the fact that the University of Düzce has been organizing workshops and panels to discuss “Women Leadership in Higher Education” since 2012 and thanked the Rector of the Düzce University Prof. Dr. Funda Sivrikaya Şerifoğlu and all those who have been involved in the efforts.

“To walk on the path of science, to illuminate with the light of science, to be armed with knowledge is the greatest richness” said Erdoğan adding “nothing is more valuable that being armed with knowledge and science in this world.  Property, estates, offices and positions all come and go yet science, knowledge and wisdom always illuminates the path of people throughout their lives. You as the voyagers of science and knowledge illuminate our world and you are building the future generations. We are grateful and indebted to you in the name of the future generations.”

Pointing out that women have a 100-year history at universities Erdoğan went on to say:

The statistics we see in Turkey today are a source of happiness

“The first university for women was set up in 1914 as İnas Darulfünun. Since then the presence of women at the academic level has increased at a fast pace. The statistics we have achieved in Turkey today is a source of happiness.  The number of women academicians at universities is around 40 percent. This is a rather high figure in world rankings. Turkey is placed just after countries like the United States and Canada in the rankings.  On the other hand the fact that the world’s first university which was the Karaviyyn University in Fes in Morocco was built by Fatima El-Fihri in 859 is a source of inspiration for all of us from the perspective of women leadership in higher education as we are a part of this circle of civilization. The fact that our women are still attaching great value to academic work and prefer the homes of science and knowledge when they plan their careers is no doubt a great gain for us.”

Saying being a woman is an important obstacle for obtaining a position in the decision making mechanisms of universities Erdoğan said “it is un fortunate that our women cannot advance in their careers after a certain point as they have to compete with their men colleagues on the same path but under unequal conditions as they have to shoulder the responsibilities of the family and the children on their own. All over the world and especially in the European Union countries authorities are trying to overcome this inequality by regulating equal representation and special quotas for women but despite this they are not getting too far.”

Women should be equal in all fields

Emine Erdoğan said women should be equal to men in every field and added: 

“Now on the one hand we should be striving for achieving better working conditions for our women on the other hand we should be establishing gender justice so that relations between men and woman can be attained in all fields and the family as an institution can progress in a healthy manner. Esteemed participants, you all know the solutions offered in the world to solve the women leadership issues in higher education. There are all kinds of proposals for solutions ranging from the creation of a monitoring system for our women academicians where they receive consultant support from experienced researchers to a proposal from Austria where different career definitions are offered for men and women. However, the greatest obstacle standing before women in participating in decision making mechanisms is the crooked social perceptions and weakening of our women’s strength to fight against these perceptions. Allah willing the support of our government to offer free kindergarten services working mothers and flexible working hours for women workers and other positive practical steps will of course ease some of the burden on our women.”

Women and men complement each other 

Erdoğan said “the existence of women in every walks of life and the creation of awareness that their existence is a necessity will be a revolution of awareness” and added “we should be discussing what would happen to the various sectors in the absence of women as well as talking about easing the working conditions for women and lifting the barriers before them to participate in the decision making mechanisms in the sector they participate. In other words we should dwell upon more on what women leadership can contribute to universities.”

Erdoğan stressed that if there is no women presence in a gathering or a sector and a female vision is lacking then something will be missing there and added “because men and women complement each other. They are dependent on the views of each other. The existence of the views of these two sides is a manifestation of the human view. I am sure that the facts that women notice all the details and their specialty to adapt to changes have an added value for educational institutions like the universities. The fact that the woman perspective is there will contribute to the institutional culture. Also it is important that women can avoid small negligence that could lead to massive problems. We can of course make headway through legislative incentives yet what is important is that the other half should understand and feel what the absence of women can create. This perception should first develop at the university and then should spread to all other sectors in waves. On the one hand the university should be a mirror reflection of the society while it should also serve as a mirror to the society”

Regulations to achieve gender justice

Emine Erdoğan completed her address by saying:

“We can make a special request to our Ministry of National Education to spread the culture of gender justice in our society.  Please let us do something so that our children get this perception of gender justice from a very young age. Our president of the Higher Education Board (YÖK) is also here. He too should help us to lead the way to create the culture of gender justice starting from universities through rules and regulations that will set an example to our people. Another important step will be for our women to display solidarity at universities, our women should encourage each other and should be enthusiastic to seek leadership positions.  As the past workshops and panels have determined the establishment of the Academician Women’s Union may be the most important step to create the spirit of solidarity. The fact that the role models will be clearly seen under this roof will bring the new generation academicians closer to leadership positions. Of course this entire struggle to spread women leadership does not mean a struggle among the sexes disregarding competence and merit. What is at issue here is the desire for those who form half of humanity to be provided equaslity based on the principles of justice. Only then the unique potentials of women can open up the path of humanity and democratic culture may advance.”

Minister of National Education Nabi Avcı started his address by thanking the Rector of the Düzce University Funda Sivrikaya Şerifoğlu.

Minister Avcı offers reading a book

Minister Avcı said in such meetings people usually ask him for an advise on what book to read on the subject and added “So I want to offer a book to read. Famous British author and essay writer D.H. Lawrence’s book which was translated into Turkish as the “Anka Kuşu”. I will not say why I offer this essay. You will understand when you open the book why I offered this book and you will read it with great enthusiasm.”

Mevlana’s divider metaphor 

Minister Avcı thanked the rector of the Düzce University for its contributions to the national education institutions and said “your efforts reminded me of the divider metaphor of Mevlana. Mevlana says “we are like a divider, one foot is firmly positioned on the road while the other foot wonders the nations of the world.” I congratulate you and thank you for creating an academic hub where the local meets the universal.  

“Whoever knows about the products of the land owns the land.”

Only one women director among the 81 Provincial National Education Directors

Minister Avcı said this panel will above all be a guide to everyone but especially for the Ministry of National Education and lamented the fact that there are few women administrators at the ministry. Minister Avcı added “we have 81 Provincial National Education Directors and only one is a woman. Two days ago I had to sign a new regulation that eased the conditions of a former regulation. In the past we specified a rule that at least one of the three deputy directors at the girls vocational schools, girls İmam Hatip schools (religious education schools) or at schools where girls are in a majority yet we had to change that rule because we cannot find enough women administrators. Our women do not want to apply to these positions. So we had to change this rule that we had regulated.”

Drama that women are put through because of their clothing

Minister Avcı said there is a drama behind the fact that women have been pushed to the background and added “we are faced with the drama of the women who have been prevented the right to go to school because of their clothing and thus who have been prevented from taking up a career. Thank God the obstacles have been lifted and now their path is open. So in the years to come we will have our girls and women being represented in every field in the way they deserve.”

Minister Avcı said as the Ministry of National Education they are trying to achieve this both in the regulations and decision making processes of the ministry.