President Erdoğan: We expect my friend Trump to abandon the mistaken policies of the former administration

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the 6th International Women and Justice Summit organised by the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) together with the Ministry of Family and Social Services with the theme of ‘Artificial Intelligence and Women’ at Haliç University. President Erdoğan was accompanied by his wife Emine Erdoğan, Minister of Labour and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, AK Party Istanbul Provincial Chairman Osman Nuri Kabaktepe.

Revna Demirören, Demirören Holding Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Meltem Demirören, Demirören Holding Board Member Murat Oktay also attended the Artificial Intelligence and Women's Summit, of which Demirören Media was one of the communication sponsors. During the programme, a film on KADEM's activities in Turkey and abroad was screened.

‘THE FACT THAT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DEEPENS INJUSTICE IS SOMETIMES OVERVIEWED’

Speaking at the programme, President Erdoğan said: ‘We are living in a period where digital culture has upset people's perspective on life. In addition to the products, opportunities and conveniences that digitalisation brings, we see very clearly that it objectifies human beings, and that it obscures the uniqueness of human beings. A multidimensional digital hegemony is penetrating our lives more and more, moreover, it is expanding its sphere of influence day by day. Another point in this context is that the aspect of technology, especially artificial intelligence, that deepens injustices is sometimes ignored. However, research shows that artificial intelligence reinforces social inequalities by repeating bad practices. I have to say that women take the first place among the victims of artificial intelligence technologies and algorithms. From job applications to social media platforms, women are frequently exposed to this ugly face of artificial intelligence that increases inequalities. We can benefit from artificial intelligence not only in preventing disadvantages, but also in women's access to equal rights and self-improvement. For this, it is necessary to determine the basic principles that favour disadvantaged groups in artificial intelligence algorithms. We believe that a universal declaration should be signed on this issue before more victimisation occurs and problems become chronic.’

‘WE FACED SERIOUS OBSTACLES FOR 22 YEARS’

Emphasising that he fought for women's rights, Erdoğan said: ‘In the last 22 years in Turkey, women are among the segments we have touched the most. When we look back, one of the struggles we are proud of is the determined, tough and painful struggle we fought to expand the rights and freedoms of women. Yes, we really had a lot of difficulties. For 22 years, we have faced very serious obstacles. We have dealt with all kinds of guardianship, oppression, and the prohibitionist mentality that has penetrated down to the cells. We always found the opposition against us in our endeavour to provide women with the rights they should already have. Unfortunately, despite the clear provisions of our constitution, women were excluded from education and working life in this country for years just because of their headscarves. Persuasion rooms were set up at the gates of universities at the gates of fascism. Women could not work freely in our private sector organisations that behaved more royalist than the king. She was forced to choose between her profession and her faith. As the President of IBB and Prime Minister, we also faced the impositions of the old Turkey. As a result of our struggle in the last 22 years, we left all these behind as bad memories of Turkish democracy. All obstacles were removed for the enrichment of our country's human industry in every field, especially in education and labour life.’

‘WE INCREASED WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT’

President Erdoğan said, ‘We approached especially the ill-treatment of women and children with a zero tolerance approach. In this direction, we have implemented revolutionary practices such as women's guesthouses and electronic handcuffs. We have witnessed and are witnessing positive reflections in every field, especially in employment. Significant progress was made in women's labour force participation rates. In 2002, the labour force participation rate, which was 27.9 percent, increased to 37.3 percent as of August 2024. The female employment rate increased from 25.3 per cent to 33 per cent. We say that we have not seen these figures. Our goal is to increase the female labour force participation rate above 40 percent and employment rate above 36 percent by the end of 2028. Wars, conflicts and destructions do not only hit cities, countries and households. They also target the innocent, the helpless, the elderly, children and most of all women. We have painfully experienced this reality in many conflict zones from Syria to Afghanistan, from Yemen to Ukraine. However, we do not remember any other war in recent years where women and children have been targeted as much as the genocide in Gaza. From hospitals to schools, from tents to aid queues, from places of worship to houses, we are faced with a murder network that attacks, shoots and kills with the heaviest weapons.

Two thirds of the more than 50 thousand innocent people massacred in Gaza in the last 13 months are women and children. Despite this, under the shadow of weapons, in poverty, women trying to live, to keep alive, to protect their homes, to feed their children are literally making history. The valiant women of Gaza, Palestine, who protect their children, their families, their homes and their cause under the bombs and weapons in Gaza, are becoming a monument of pride for the ummah.’

‘WE EXPECT TRUMP TO ABANDON THE FLAWED POLICIES OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION’

President Erdoğan said, ‘Gaza was at the top of our agenda at the 11th Summit of Leaders of the Organisation of Turkic States and the 5th meeting of the European Political Community. On Wednesday evening, while I was in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, I had a telephone conversation with Mr Trump, the President-elect of the United States of America, in which we both congratulated him on his historic election victory and drew attention to the massacre in Gaza and Lebanon. We expect my dear friend Mr Trump, in his second presidential term, to abandon the erroneous policies of the previous administration. We sincerely believe that Mr President will take the lead in ending the wars and we sincerely hope that he will do so. We will make every effort to prevent further bloodshed and to ensure that these conflicts, wars and tensions, which destroy the lives of women and children, continue. May God help and help us. Today, I sincerely congratulate Azerbaijan, which celebrates the 4th anniversary of the Karabakh Victory with great enthusiasm and pride, and the victory day of the Azerbaijani people. I remember with mercy all of our beloved martyrs who have written their names in history with honour, and I wish their noble souls rest in peace. We will always remember with gratitude those heroes who gave their lives so that the crescent moon would wave in the skies of Karabakh. Just as Karabakh was liberated after 30 years of occupation with pain every day, I believe that Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories will taste freedom one day. We will work with determination, patience and unshakable faith for that blessed day to come. We will continue our struggle on the grounds of law and equity,’ he said.