ANKARA (ILO News) - The ILO organized a thematic workshop on supported transition to employment for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and women in Ankara on 9-10 May. During the workshop, 41 participants from four provinces across Türkiye (Ankara; Bursa; Gaziantep and Istanbul) learned more about the kinds of support that are required to ensure that PwDs and women have equal access to employment opportunities. During the discussions, participants shared case studies, practical tools which are currently used in the implementation of the Work Based Learning Programme (WBL), of the ILO Türkiye, when endeavouring to include these individuals.

The workshop included group discussions, interactive presentations as well as helped participants to consider which type of draft policy recommendations could improve the implementation of the WBL through increased inclusion of PwDs and women.

“We believe everyone benefits from an inclusive workplace, not only just those with a disability” said Emily Harwit, the ILO Project Manager.

“The ILO promotes and always seeks for more opportunities for the inclusion of PwDs and women in the labour market and in society in general” said Giovanni di Cola, Officer in Charge of the ILO Office for Türkiye.

“We need to start from our minds to welcome diversity in our workplaces. It is not only workers’ or employers’ but making the workplace more inclusive is everyone’s responsibility” said Tuncay Babacan, the Human Resources Officer from a WBL beneficiary company in İstanbul.

The workshop also welcomed refugee women to share their experiences in their workplace and labour market in general through interactive discussions. “I started to work for the first time in Türkiye after coming from Syria with my family. It gives me a sense of self-confidence and I happily convey this to my children, I think everyone, particularly women should work to stand on their own” said Berivan Mustafa, a WBL beneficiary working in a textile company.

The WBL is part of the Project on “Promoting Decent Work for Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish Citizens”, financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through the KfW Development Bank and implemented by the ILO Office for Türkiye, in coordination with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.