The first local publicity meeting was held on 6 February 2020 in Bursa for the second phase of “More and Better Jobs for Women Project” implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to increase women’s employment and create more women entrepreneurs such as Ms. Mensure Laçin who received entrepreneurship training in the first phase, started her business in Bursa and created jobs for seven people.

At the meeting held in the context of “Promoting Women’s Access to More and Better Jobs Project” by ILO and Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) with funding from the Swedish Government, Ms. Mensure Laçin told about her entrepreneurship story explaining how she had entrepreneurship training in the first phase, and started a furniture export company.

Project-beneficiary Woman Created Jobs for Seven

Ms. Laçin stated that as she marked the third anniversary of her company which she started all alone, she currently employed seven persons including four women, all recruited through ISKUR.

The meeting drew participation of the representatives of ISKUR Provincial Directorate; members of Provincial Employment and Vocational Training Board (PEVTB); managers of companies which recruit through ISKUR, representatives of civil society and other relevant actors, who discussed what action should be taken to sustain effective implementation of the Action Plan on Women's Employment and Bursa Local Action Plan created in the first phase.

“Bursa Contributed Greatly to the Project”

Ms. Ebru Özberk Anlı, Senior Programme Officer at the ILO Office for Turkey, provided information on the work on women’s employment in Bursa in the first phase, and activities planned for the second phase. Ms. Özberk also drew attention to the significance of Bursa for the project which effectively supported all activities in the first phase.

“ISKUR Supports Women’s Employment”

‪Mr. Feyzullah Eren Türkmen, Bursa Provincial Director of ISKUR, stated that as the  Directorate they aimed to support women’s participation and persistence in economic life.‬‬

Ms. Selin Yaşamış, National Programme Officer at the Swedish Embassy, provided information on Sweden’s policies on women’s employment; and stated that Bursa had a distinct place in terms of achievements in the first phase, and in that context, drew attention to effective implementation and monitoring of Bursa Local Action Plan on Women’s Employment prepared in the first phase.

“Informal employment problem persists”

The event also featured a panel, moderated by Ms. Tuba Burcu Şenel, Employment and Entrepreneurship Officer at the ILO Office for Turkey, on what could be done to create more and better job opportunities for women in Bursa in the third year of Bursa Local Action Plan on Women’s Employment.

The panellists included Prof.Dr. Ms. Serpil Aytaç of Uludag University; Ms. Oya Eroğlu, President of Bursa Businesswomen Association; Ms. Dilek Üzümcüler, President of Mor Salkım Women’s Solidarity Association; and Ms. Mensure Laçin who received entrepreneurship training in the first phase, started and successfully managed her business.

The panel discussed barriers to and solutions for women’s employment in general and for Bursa in particular.

The panellists informed that Bursa’s population was divided evenly between men and women, but women’s employment rate stood at 28 percent, and informal employment persisted as a widespread problem.

“Childcare Centres Much Needed in Bursa”

It was also indicated that women in Bursa generally wanted to work and find jobs; and the largest two barriers to women’s employment were elderly care and child care.

The panellists emphasised that only two companies in Bursa had childcare centres; therefore, childcare centres were much needed; and it was necessary to formulate effective solutions to the problem of [lack of] childcare centres to support women’s employment in Bursa, including particularly the Organised Industry Zone.