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

Alliance for Shared Values Deplores Paris Shootings

The Alliance for Shared Values condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Such horrific actions represent an assault on democratic values and can never be justified no matter the underlying reason. Even against insults, the befitting response must be legal and civil.

Pro-gov’t columnist claims Obama could be Gülen’s White House ‘imam’

Mehmet Barlas, a columnist from the pro-government Sabah daily who is known as a staunch supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, claimed in his column on Wednesday that US President Barack Obama could be an “imam” of the faith-based Gülen movement in Washington.

Ambassador says US having difficulty in seeing clear criterion in anti-Gülen operations

Speaking to a group of reporters in Istanbul on Friday, Bass said although the Turkish government insists that the anti-coup measures it has taken against followers of the Gülen movement are proportionate, it is difficult see that the Turkish government is taking its actions based on a clear criterion. Bass said the US was having difficulty in assessing whether the measures are proportionate and reasonable.

Prof. Nanda: Extraditing Fethullah Gulen to Turkey would erode the rule of law

Turkey’s strategic importance cannot be overestimated. However, Erdogan’s personal friendship with Trump alone cannot resolve the difficulties. Even if Trump may be willing to find a way to extradite Gulen or find another country to accept him in order to placate a NATO partner for geopolitical reasons, he must not. The damage to the rule of law would outweigh any benefit Trump hopes to gain from such an action.

Turkey’s Wrong Turn

The tensions erupted into the open last month with a corruption probe that led to the resignation of four government ministers and threatened to ensnare Mr. Erdogan’s family. The government has since purged hundreds of police officials and prosecutors and sought to assert control over the judiciary. It also drafted legislation expanding the government’s power to appoint judges and prosecutors, further breaching judicial independence, and has prevented journalists from reporting freely.

Will Turkey’s assassinations reach America?

There is no longer any doubt that Turkey conducts operations in the United States against Turks and Kurds with whom Erdogan disagrees. That problem will likely get worse as Erdogan digs in his heels and demands the extradition of exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen. While Turkish officials have turned over reams of papers detailing why Turkey believes Gülen is a malign influence, none of the evidence Turkey has provided actually implicates Gülen in the events of July 15.

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

Supreme court calls on AK Party’s Şahin to substantiate claim about Gülen

Six heads of organized crime unit dismissed as hundreds relocated in new police purges [just after an operation against al-Qaeda]

Sending Fethullah Gulen to Turkey would be a national disgrace

Former politicians call on candidates to publicize personal assets

What does religion have to do with corruption?

Peace Islands Massachusetts bestows Friendship Awards

Erdoğan is helping Hizmet community in three ways

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News