Technologies without women cannot build better future: Türkiye's first lady

Emine Erdogan highlights Türkiye's efforts to support women, citing unpaid maternity leave counting toward seniority, increased paternity leave, and expanded daycare facilities.

Turkish first lady Erdogan expresses hope that women, with their multifaceted thinking and empathy, will be the architects of future societies built on mercy and justice. / Photo: AA
AA

Turkish first lady Erdogan expresses hope that women, with their multifaceted thinking and empathy, will be the architects of future societies built on mercy and justice. / Photo: AA

"Technologies that do not include women in design and production processes cannot lead us to a better future." Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan has said at the opening speech of Dubai Global Women's Forum.

Under the patronage of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai Global Women's Forum began with the main theme of "Power of Impact".

Delivering the opening speech at Madinat Jumeirah on the special invitation of Dubai Ruler Al Maktoum, Emine Erdogan noted that the United Arab Emirates is one of the world's most important cultural intersection points due to its high foreign population.

Pointing out that everyone at the forum has different traditions, beliefs, ideologies, and countries' different agendas, Emine Erdogan said, "Despite all these distinctions, we are aware of this fact: As humanity, we are all walking together towards a common future on the same ship."

Erdogan spoke about the world's transformations, saying that with technologies like digitalisation and artificial intelligence, people wake up to a new world every morning.

Highlighting that the information produced in one week is equivalent to a century in the past, Erdogan stated, "Artificial intelligence can reduce operations that used to take months to seconds. Research predicts that 2 out of every 10 professions will change within 3 years. As we rapidly advance towards an uncertain future, we need a common roadmap more than ever."

She emphasised the United Nations' 2030 "17 Sustainable Development Goals", noting the principle of "leaving no one behind". However, she pointed out that the world unfortunately leaves out women, who constitute half of the population.

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Erdogan shared that in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) that shape future societies, women's representation is still only around 30 percent, and only 26 percent of artificial intelligence workers are women.

She posed challenging questions to participants: "Can a humanity with one wing rise? Can it read such an uncertain future with one eye? Can it keep up with the incredible speed of the era with one leg?"

"We must never forget that woman and man are like the right and left feet of a body, like the wings of a bird - two halves of a whole. One cannot progress without the other. Technologies not including women in design and production processes cannot lead us to a better future. Not only will they fail to correct existing injustices, but they will only deepen and reproduce problems."

Emphasising the importance of maintaining women's natural identity in any sector, Erdogan stated, "Real equality is not someone making you resemble themselves, but respecting your space of existence on the axis of justice. I believe women can only reveal their great transformative power by preserving their own uniqueness."

She highlighted Türkiye's special arrangements to help women balance work and home life, mentioning that unpaid maternity leave is considered in civil service seniority, and increased paternity leave and widespread daycare facilities have improved women's lives.

Praising the Dubai Women's Organisation led by Sheikha Manal bint Rashid Al Maktoum, Erdogan spoke about their comprehensive work, including national nursery support and mentorship programs for young girls.

Emphasising that human essence cannot be replaced by AI and robotics, Erdogan said, "Technology is certainly an important power. But power alone is not meaningful. The real issue is to put this power at the service of conscience and wisdom."

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Addressing global crises, she noted that approximately one billion people face hunger, and 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted annually. She also drew attention to the ongoing situation in Gaza, describing it as a "genocide happening before the eyes of humanity".

Erdogan concluded by expressing hope that women, with their multifaceted thinking and empathy, will be the architects of future societies built on mercy and justice.

The forum was attended by high-level government officials, private sector managers, experts, academics, and entrepreneurs. It will continue for two days, discussing "Future Economies, Future Societies", "Collective Participations, Collective Actions", and "Effective Technologies, Effective Innovations".

Emine Erdogan was accompanied by Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas and Türkiye's Abu Dhabi Ambassador Tugay Tuncer.

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