Avrupa Agency (AVA) | TASHKENT- An international symposium focusing on the development of women's entrepreneurship was held in Uzbekistan's capital, Tashkent, bringing together business leaders, academics and civil society representatives from across the Turkic world.
The event was jointly organized by the Uzbekistan-Turkey Businesspeople's Association (UTID) and the Uzbekistan Women's Association under the theme "Uzbekistan's Experience in Cooperation Between Public Institutions and NGOs in Developing Women's Entrepreneurship."
Participants attended from various regions of Uzbekistan as well as Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to discuss policies and practical approaches aimed at strengthening women's participation in business and entrepreneurship.
Among the Turkish delegation were Betül Sezgin of the Izmir Businesswomen's Association, veteran public relations specialist Fügen Toksü, Northern Cyprus businesswoman and civil society leader Gülnür Sadıkoğlu, and Turkish entrepreneur Esra Hasnalçacı, who transformed a small textile workshop inherited from her father at the age of 24 into an export-oriented manufacturing company serving 35 countries.
The symposium examined barriers facing women entrepreneurs, policy recommendations to improve the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and successful models of cooperation between government institutions and non-governmental organizations.
Speaking at the event, UTID Chairman Davut Azmi Erbaş welcomed the symposium's growing international profile.
"We are pleased that the symposium has evolved into an international platform for sharing experience with experts and speakers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan," Erbaş said.
Participants also exchanged views on projects designed to strengthen women's role in economic and commercial life, accelerate their integration into the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and enhance cooperation between the public and private sectors.
On the sidelines of the symposium, Erbaş and members of the Turkish delegation paid a courtesy visit to Turkey's Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Ufuk Ulutaş.
Discussions also covered the current state of women's entrepreneurship globally and across the Turkic world, legal reforms and incentive mechanisms to increase women's participation in business, strategies for transforming innovative ideas into sustainable enterprises, and initiatives to strengthen trade and professional networks among women entrepreneurs.
Organizers said the symposium aims to deepen cooperation among women entrepreneurs across the Turkic world and encourage the development of joint cross-border business initiatives.
