Turkish first lady highlights women's influential role in social heritage of Turkic world

By Orhan Onur Gemici and Zehra Nur Celik

ANKARA (AA) - Women holding strong, influential positions in social life is not a new development in the heritage of Turkic civilizations, said Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan on Friday.

“What we need to do is transform this experience into a perspective unique to the Turkic world that is in harmony with the cultural sensitivities, priorities, and social realities of our societies,” Erdogan said at the first meeting of the High Honorary Council of the Council on Family and Women in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Hosted by Erdogan, the meeting was attended by the spouses of leaders visiting Ankara for the 13th Heads of State Summit of the Organization of Turkic States as well as Turkish Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas, and senior representatives from member countries.

The meeting aimed to transform the shared commitment to family and women's issues across the Turkic world into lasting cooperation.

Addressing the gathering, Emine Erdogan said: “We aim to make our council a lasting platform for cooperation. Today, together with you, we have taken the first steps toward establishing our council here in Ankara.”

“I hope that we will hold our council's first official meeting next year during the 14th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Uzbekistan, hosted by my dear sister Ziroat Mirziyoyeva,” the wife of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, she added.

Later on Friday, Erdogan shared a post about the meeting on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

“With our council having taken its first step towards establishment, we aim to bring together our efforts to empower families and women on a common platform,” she said.

“We believe that keeping families, the unseen stronghold of our societies, strong is possible by supporting women in every sphere of life,” she also said.

“With this understanding, we attach importance to drawing on the experience of our countries and developing solutions to the challenges we face through collective wisdom.”

Erdogan voiced hope that the council will reinforce cooperation in the fields of family and women across the Turkic world and further strengthen their bonds of fellowship.

Zehra Nur Çelik