An Equal Opportunity Model (FEM) Certificate from KAGİDER to Kadir Has University

Having declared the year 2018 as the Year of Gender Equality, Kadir Has University has been implementing a “Gender Equality Plan” within the context of the “Systemic Action for Gender Equality – SAGE Project” financed under the European Union’s Horizon2020 program for three years.

Kadir Has University has achieved significant results with many studies on gender equality. Going through an independent evaluation process, the university has received the Equal Opportunity Model (FEM)certificate, under the leadership of KAGİDER, executed in cooperation with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young with the technical support of the World Bank.

By receiving the “Equality of Opportunity Model Certificate” (FEM), Kadir Has University has certified before the national and international public opinion that it is an institution sensitive to gender equality and women’s empowerment in employment.

“WE HAVE ACHIEVED 60 PERCENT WOMEN ASSIGNED IN THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL”

Upon being awarded the certificate by Bahar Kayserilioğlu, KAGİDER Board Member, Kadir Has University Rector Prof. Dr. Sondan Durukanoğlu Feyiz said that: “As Kadir Has University, we are very happy and proud to have been awarded the “Equal Opportunity Model” certificate of KAGİDER. We would like to thank our team members who have guided us on this issue and helped us to complete our deficiencies together with our Human Resources team. It makes us proud to have received a certificate such as “FEM” for the first time, as I am about to complete my first year as the Rector. When I started my assignment as a rector, our first job was to achieve 50 percent gender equality in all committees and boards. We have currently achieved 60 percent of female staff assigned to the managerial and administrative units of our university.”

“KADİR HAS UNIVERSITY IS ALWAYS SENSITIVE TO WOMEN”

Durukanoğlu Feyiz continued his words as follows: “Our Kadir Has University Cibali Campus has been established in the area of the former Cibali Tobacco Plant. Cibali Tobacco Plant is known as one of the first facilities that are sensitive to women and act in the sense of supporting women’s participation in social life and economy, by offering a kindergarten to mom employees to safely entrust their children. As Kadir Has University, our sensitivity for women dates back. We realize our arrangements with the aim to maintain this mission in every field. We are aware of the efforts of our esteemed founder, late Kadir Has, towards our female students to study and towards women to receive education. We are grateful to our Human Resources Directorate and Director of Kadir Has University Gender and Women’s Studies Research Center Prof. Dr. Mary Lou O’Neil and her valuable team. We wholeheartedly hope that the “Equal Opportunity Model Certificate” to be acquired by all universities subsequently upon making the necessary arrangements”.

“MORE WOMEN SHOULD BE ASSIGNED JOB IN DECISION MAKING MECHANISMS”

KAGİDER Board Member Bahar Kayserilioğlu said that “As KAGIDER, we have increased our support to encourage women to participate more freely and with their free will in decision-making mechanisms. One of the most important issues for women is unity. We are working in this direction with the World Bank and the Ministry of Labor. We want to maximize our goals and examples, such as more female CEOs assigned in corporate institutions and more female managers assigned as a Rector or Vice-Rector at universities. We would like to thank Kadir Has University for its support to women. We are pleased to see that the number of institutions and universities that set out rules and perspectives in order to provide equal opportunities for women and “monitor” business processes so as to protect women’s equality of opportunity is increasing day by day