KAGİDER and Garanti BBVA Present 20 Years of Cooperation on Women's Entrepreneurship at the UN

KAGİDER and Garanti BBVA shared the impact of their 20-year partnership supporting women entrepreneurship at an event held in New York under the UN 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70).

KAGİDER, which aims to strengthen women's role in economic life by supporting women entrepreneurship, hosted an important event in New York together with Garanti BBVA as part of the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

At the event titled "Creating Equal Opportunities and Equal Access for Women Entrepreneurs: A Twenty-Year Journey" held on 12 March 2026, projects aimed at strengthening women's access to business and their presence in economic life were discussed. The guest of honour at the event was Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Minister of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Turkey.

International Panel and Participants
KAGİDER Board Chair Esra Bezircioğlu and Garanti BBVA Deputy General Manager Sibel Kaya were among the speakers at the event, while opening remarks were delivered by GlobeWomen Board Chair Irene Natividad and UN Women Turkey Country Director Maryse Guimond. The panel was moderated by Ümran Beba, with international experts including IFC "Banking on Women" Program Global Head Jessica Schnabel and World Bank Group Senior Private Sector Development Specialist Julia Constanze Braunmiller serving as panelists.

Minister's Assessment
Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Minister of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Turkey, made the following assessment in her remarks:

"Every investment in women entrepreneurship contributes not only to economic growth, but also to strengthening families and supporting local development. Every business established by women entrepreneurs increases economic mobility while preserving local values."

20-Year Partnership
KAGİDER Chair Esra Bezircioğlu emphasized that the partnership with Garanti BBVA since 2006 has created a sustainable and strong model supporting women entrepreneurship. Bezircioğlu noted that through initiatives such as Turkey's Women Entrepreneur Competition and the Women in Business Platform, the partnership has supported women's visibility, market access, and opportunities to grow their businesses.

Garanti BBVA Deputy General Manager Sibel Kaya stated that women entrepreneurship is critical in terms of economic equality and inclusive growth, disclosing that financing provided to women entrepreneurs over the past 5 years has exceeded TRY 350 billion.

Holistic Approach
The event also discussed structural barriers affecting women's participation in economic life, referencing the Women, Business and the Law 2024 (WBL 2024) report. Participants emphasized the importance of holistic approaches strengthening women entrepreneurship in the areas of policy, financing, education, and capacity development.