Organized by the Faculty of Law at Ibn Haldun University, which we founded, in cooperation with TÜRGEV and KADEM, the panel titled “Right to Believe and Right to Work: Women’s Religious Freedom in the Workplace” highlighted faith-based rights of women in professional life.
17 April 2025
In addition to our Chairwoman, Attorney Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz, the panel was attended by KADEM Chair of the Board of Trustees Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, Ibn Haldun University Rector Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan, and many academics.
TÜRGEV Chairwoman Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz: “We Are Raising Generations Against Invisible Walls”
Speaking at the panel, our Chairwoman Hatice Akıncı Yılmaz emphasized that Türkiye is now a country of opportunities, not prohibitions, for women who want to produce while remaining true to their faith.
“The traumas such as the headscarf ban are behind us. However, rights must find a place not only in legal texts but also in the mindset of society,” Yılmaz said, pointing out that invisible barriers still persist in certain areas. She continued:
“A woman who walks with her faith, labor, and productivity not only paves her own way but also determines the direction of society. Women who contribute to life with their headscarf, their pen, their prayers, and their labor are the greatest asset of this country.”
She stressed that at TÜRGEV, with this awareness, we work with all our strength to raise generations that can balance faith, education, and productivity with strong self-confidence.
Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar Highlights Women’s Rights
KADEM Chair of the Board of Trustees Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar stated that religious freedom in the workplace is not only an individual right but also a matter of women’s rights and human rights. She emphasized that women’s presence in social and professional life in harmony with their faith is a constitutional right.
Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan: “The Modernization Process Placed Greater Pressure on Women”
Ibn Haldun University Rector Prof. Dr. Atilla Arkan noted that the history of modernization placed heavier pressure on women in terms of religious freedoms.
“The issue of religious freedoms has faced a tougher test in areas where women have gained visibility,” Arkan said, also underlining the responsibility of universities in this regard.
Working for a Future Where Women Can Produce with Faith
At TÜRGEV, we continue our efforts to build a society where young women can live their faith freely while having a strong presence in academic and professional life. We remain committed to supporting a future that offers justice, equal opportunities, and the full realization of women’s potential.
