UN 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women


Date posted: April 4, 2015

Economic Empowerment of Women to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Panelists and Honorary guests at the CSW59 side-event, “Economic Empowerment of Women to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals” at the United Nations headquarters in New York. From Left: Paulette Woolf (United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology), Aubrey Fox (Institute for Economics and Peace), Hatice Esra Kavurmaci (Global Businesswomen Association), Sevgi Akarçesme (Today’s Zaman), Aisha Osori (Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund), Dr. Burak Eskici (Harvard University), Ahmet Sait Kavurmaci (Aydinli Group CEO), Mustafa Yesil (The Journalists & Writers Foundation), Hakan Sukur (Member of Parliament, Turkey) and Mesut Ulker (Political Advisior & Strategist).

On March 10, 2015, Peace Islands Institute, the Journalists and Writers Foundation, Global Businesswomen Association and the Institute for Economics and Peace held a panel discussion titled “Economic Empowerment of Women to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals” during the UN CSW 59th Commission on the Status of Women. The discussion was moderated by Sevgi Akarçesme, a columnist for Daily Zaman and a correspondent for Today’s Zaman and featured panelists: Hatice Esra Kavurmaci, Executive Director of the Global Businesswomen Association; Paulette Woolf, the Chief of Management Support Services of the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology; Aubrey Fox, Executive Director of the Institute for Economics and Peace; Aisha Osori, CEO of The Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund; and Dr. Burak Eskici, Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, Harvard University. Panelists shared experiences, anecdotes, and statistics that showed the economic and peace advances which come with the economic empowerment of women, as well as enlightening information offering insight into the progress the national and international communities have yet to make. Common themes included women’s access to affordable technology, the importance of social media in terms of connection and cooperation, and the effect of violence on economic development and business environments.

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-1

Ms. Hatice Esra Kavurmaci spoke on the issue of gender equality and urged men worldwide – husbands, brothers or friends – to be supportive of the women in their lives. She spoke to her own high-powered life and how she values the support she receives. Her speech echoed the importance of mutual advocacy between men and women.

The important role of technology in the lives of women was discussed by Ms. Paulette Woolf. She introduced her presentation with a statement made by the Executive Director of UN Women, encouraging affordable and accessible technology for women. Ms. Woolf gave examples of how through social media and technology women are able to connect to one another and cooperate on mutual issues that affect them. She gave statistics showing women in low or middle-income countries and the low probability that they would use mobile phones. Ms. Woolf concluded by stating the need to bridge the cultural barriers that contribute to the gender and technology divide in order to improve women’s ability to access technology in developing countries.

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-2

Mr. Aubrey Fox spoke to the nature of everyday violence as a changing concept, and offered a definition of peace as the absence of everyday violence, or fear of everyday violence. He offered a statistic showing that 9.8 trillion dollars is spent on the global cost of violence, and pointed to a different statistic showing that 35 percent of women have experienced violence. Mr. Fox identified the “Pillars of Peace”, stating that developing nations with stronger pillars have achieved more of their mutual development goals. He highlighted indicators such as a well-functioning government, a strong business environment, and gender equality as being strong promoters of a more peaceful nation.

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-3

Ms. Aisha Osori, who presented a case study in Nigeria, discussed an overview of women’s economic and social empowerment in Africa. She commenced her discussion with the question; what are the consequences of women not being economically empowered? Ms. Osori cited country commitment and issue hijacking as obstacles to economic empowerment, and was critical of frameworks and policies being passive without taking action. She concluded her time by urging the break down of the language around which women can access finance.

Dr. Burak Eskici presented a case study of Hizmet Movement Volunteers in a local NGO run by women. His theme was entitled “Self-Empowerment by Doing” and he gave an in-depth analysis of the women’s efforts. In interviews he conducted, Dr. Eskici discovered that by organizing and working at this non-profit, the women involved were empowering themselves. Dr. Eskici emphasized the importance of solving the agency-structure dilemma in order to eliminate the gender gap. He spoke of agency being the women’s self-image, and how it can only evolve through action, or by doing.

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-4

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-5

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-6

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-7

UN-59th-Session-of-the-Commission-8

Source: Peace Islands Institute , March 13, 2015


Related News

Washington Post on Erdoğan’s purge: Cruel frenzy in march towards authoritarianism

Mr. Erdogan, the Turkish president who was the target of a failed coup last July, has since carried out a wave of arbitrary punishments and imprisonments of thousands of journalists, academics, bureaucrats, lawyers and human rights defenders he suspects of affiliation with Mr. Gulen and his movement. This cruel frenzy is just the latest step in Mr. Erdogan’s march toward authoritarianism.

Associations, NGOs, banks launch aid campaigns for Soma victims

Many business associations, private banks, NGOs and football clubs have launched aid campaigns for families of the victims of the coal mining incident in Soma, where an explosion and fire killed at least 283 mineworkers.

Time for win-win in trade for Turkey, Portugal

ERGIN HAVA, İSTANBUL Amid global economic volatilities, Turkish and Portuguese companies must begin establishing partnerships in fast-growing markets in which each has wide experience before they lose more time missing opportunities in this area, a Portuguese business union head has told Today’s Zaman. Francisco Mantero, the vice president of the board for the Community of […]

Turkish investors To Inject Capital Into Ghana’s Economy

The President of the Ghana-Turkey Cooperation and Development Association (TUDEC), Mr Yusuf Temizkan, has disclosed that a prospective investors from Turkey would be arriving in Ghana within the year to inject their capital into the country’s economy. “More Turkish investors have expressed their interest in investing in education, the real estate, construction and manufacturing sectors […]

Local Turks [in Chicago] fear for safety of friends, family overseas after failed coup

“You see the pictures, ears cut off, eyes are bruised and noses are broken; they’re putting those pictures out,” Parlak said. “(Erdogan is) saying to the whole world, ‘I have the power and I’m going to do anything in my power and nobody can stop me,’ and that’s the part that is scary.”

Peace Islands Institute Annual Ramadan Dinner

New Jersey Bergen Sheriff Michael Saudino had been fasting for the first time when attended the iftar dinner by the Peace Islands Institute (PII). At the gathering with the theme “Understanding hunger and poverty by fasting.” One of the attendees US Attorney Paul Fishman said, “PII serves a significant cause regarding unity and cohesion in the society with its cultural and religious activities.”

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Hospital to be opened by volunteer Turkish doctors in Ethiopia

President of Zambia Mr. Rupiah Banda thanks Turkish investors in education

25-year-old woman escapes Turkey’s witch-hunt as Bosnia grants asylum

Turkey stands by Somalia during Eid Al-Adha

Fethullah Gulen: Violence can not be a remedy for violence

Actually, the president is electing his republic

AKP: What is next?

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News