The "Digital World Women Seminar," organized by Globalnet under the leadership of the Turkish Informatics Association and hosted by the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, was held.
The opening of the program was attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Chairman of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, Chairman of the Turkish Informatics Association Rahmi Aktepe, and numerous guests.
Speaking at the opening of the program, Sayan stated that when looking at the fields where women are employed, the rate in education and health sciences is 60 percent, while it is 25 percent in informatics. He explained that the history of Anatolia proves the active presence of women in society, with women contributing to production by working in many areas from agriculture to trade, and said, "One of our biggest goals is to increase the employment rates of our women in the field of information and communication technologies as well."
Noting that women also make up 40 percent of the workforce in the world, Sayan evaluated, "A 1 percent increase in women's employment increases GDP by 80 billion dollars. In countries where women are not employed, economic losses reach up to 30 percent."
Emphasizing that the successes of Turkish women who lead in science, technology, and management with their diligence on the international stage are a source of pride for the country, Sayan gave examples of women's successes, saying, "Prof. Dr. Feryal Özel, who is on the same list as Einstein, Ayşegül İldeniz who comes to mind when it comes to technology, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Betül Gözel Ulusal who took the first steps in face transplantation, Nurgül Yavuzer who transforms the US's electronic waste, Canan Dağdeviren who works in medical technology and developed a batteryless wearable heart chip and a device that diagnoses skin cancer, and many more women's stories stand out as success stories that will serve as examples for future generations."
President Karagözoğlu: Women are the Determining and Defining Element of Social Life
Information Technologies and Communication Authority Chairman Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu said, "Women, who are the determining and defining element of social life, are achieving successful works in the informatics sector as in many areas. The ratio of female employees in the sector is higher than estimated today."
Stating that when looking at the approaches of women managing large companies on growth, digitalization, and career, female leaders are extremely successful in adapting to the digital age compared to men, Karagözoğlu said,
Noting that the BTK also values the presence of women in the world of information and communication technologies, Karagözoğlu concluded his speech by saying, "Since the establishment of BTK Academy, it has provided training to approximately 9 thousand people through certificate programs, online trainings, seminars, conferences, and similar events. The number of women trained in areas such as robotic coding, mobile app development, drone algorithms, cybersecurity expertise, and security testing expertise is undeniable. As BTK, our expectation is to increase the number of women participating in informatics education in today's world where technology is becoming the dominant force. As an institution, we are always ready to support them in this regard."