‘Women's Labor’ Marks the Opening of the Semester

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Izmir University of Economics (IUE) launched its 2025-2026 Fall Semester with a panel themed on ‘women's labor and cooperativism’. Organized with contributions from the Foundation for the Support of Women's Work (KEDV) and the IUE Center for Women’s Studies (EKOKAM), the panel emphasized the importance of supporting women producers and cooperativism. As part of the event, 17 women's cooperatives were also given the opportunity to display and sell their products throughout the day in the A Block Foyer.

Prof. Dr. Neslihan Yetkiner, Dean of the IUE Faculty of Arts and Sciences, stressed that women's labor and social equality are of critical importance under the fifth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Stating that cooperatives are not merely economic production units, Prof. Dr. Yetkiner said, “Cooperatives are strong structures that transform gender roles, reshape social norms, and support equality at an institutional level.” Prof. Dr. Yetkiner also announced their goal to establish a new community-supported agri-food network that will ensure sustainability for women producers.

“THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATIVES IS GREAT”

At the panel accommodating a large crowd, Prof. Dr. Zafer Yenal, Faculty Member at Sabancı University, Demet Atınç, partner in the Kuşadası Women's Initiative Production and Operation Cooperative (KUŞAKK), and Sibel Uyar, who previously served as the Mayor of Urla, shared their experiences. Prof. Dr. Yenal, who also moderated the panel, stated that agriculture is facing a structural, not temporary, crisis, adding that climate change and drought are leading to price increases in basic food products. Emphasizing the need to support small producers, Prof. Dr. Yenal noted that agro-ecological farming models and cooperatives offer an important solution for fair income, local economy, and social solidarity.

“WOMEN CAN WORK IN EVERY FIELD”

Demet Atınç, who left academia after the pandemic and turned to poison-free and regenerative agriculture in Kuşadası's Caferli Village, spoke about her experience with cooperativism. Atınç said that production in women's cooperatives is not limited to handicrafts; young people can also take an active role in areas like accounting, design, social media, and market research. Stating that they sell the products they grow using agro-ecological methods under the ‘Kalamaki’ brand, Atınç expressed that branding is an empowering step for women producers.

‘SOCIAL AND CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION’

Sibel Uyar, who served as the Mayor of Urla between 2014 and 2019, connected local development with women's labor in her speech and said they made an effort to officially record the invisible labor of women. Stating that the Artichoke Festival, initiated in cooperation with the IUE Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, is one of the most concrete examples of transforming women's labor into economic value, Uyar further emphasized that women's cooperatives provide not only economic but also social and cultural transformation.