# Turkish initiatives for women's leadership

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-initiatives-for-womens-leadership
> Updated: 2026-10-02T09:15:02.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 2.

Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş has been advocating for increased female participation in various sectors of economic and environmental transformation. In September, during a meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia, Göktaş emphasized the necessity for women to become developers and decision-makers in technology and STEM fields to ensure ‘data justice’ and competitiveness. She proposed a cooperation model between Turkey and the Balkans to link regional entrepreneurial talent with Turkish industrial capacity, noting Turkey’s goal to reach 40.1% female employment.

In October, the focus expanded to environmental leadership during the ‘Climate, Environment, Women 2030 – Governing Women Leaders Forum’ in Gaziantep. Organized in collaboration with UN Women, the forum highlighted women’s roles in green transformation. Göktaş argued that women are ‘central actors in finding solutions’ to the climate crisis. These discussions serve as a precursor to the COP31 summit to be hosted by Turkey in Antalya, which Göktaş has described as an ‘Implementation COP.’

During her October 2026 programs in Gaziantep, Göktaş reinforced that women are essential to the implementation of COP31. She also addressed broader social welfare and disability rights, noting that the number of disabled civil servants has increased fifteenfold since 2002, now exceeding 83,000. Additionally, she discussed the Family and Youth Fund, reporting that over 261,000 young people have utilized marriage credits, which have been increased to between 200,000 and 250,000 TL to support young families. In meetings with martyrs' families and veterans, she also emphasized that a ‘terror-free Turkey’ is essential for national peace and stability.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-02: Minister Göktaş visits Gaziantep to discuss social welfare and family policies

Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş visited Gaziantep to discuss social policies, including support for martyrs' families, disability employment, marriage credits, and the role of women in climate action.

16 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gaziantep-hosts-forum-on-womens-leadership-in-climate-action

### 2026-09-05: Minister Göktaş promotes women's roles in technology and Balkan entrepreneurship

At a business summit in Skopje, Turkish Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş called for women to lead in technology and proposed a new economic cooperation model between Turkey and the Balkans.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minister-gkta-promotes-womens-roles-in-technology-and-balkan-entrepreneurship

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Cite as: Turkish initiatives for women's leadership. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkish-initiatives-for-womens-leadership