The Social Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, and Cohesion Project (SEECO) and the Socially Inclusive Green Transition Project (SOGREEN) are working to promote economic opportunities for women in Türkiye. These projects aim to reduce inequalities and support a green transition through entrepreneurship training and financial support.
Since 2021, SEECO has provided training to over 4,000 women and youth in various communities across 11 provinces. SOGREEN will build on these results by offering reimbursable financing to more than 1,800 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with 60% of them being women-led or owned. It also plans to provide business incubation and acceleration grants to over 3,000 entrepreneurs, maintaining the same percentage of women beneficiaries.
Türkiye faces significant challenges in fostering inclusive economic opportunities for women. Female labor force participation was just 35% as of 2023. Women have limited access to finance—63% have bank accounts compared to 85% of men—and face stricter collateral demands than their male counterparts. Regional disparities further deepen these inequalities.
The SEECO and SOGREEN projects integrate gender-sensitive interventions designed to empower women by addressing barriers related to finance, information, skills, and social capital. The projects incentivize female-led enterprises and encourage hiring more women. For example, SEECO aimed to allocate 70% of its financial grants to social enterprises managed by or benefiting women.
Both projects offer comprehensive modules covering entrepreneurship, financial literacy, digital literacy, climate resilience, legal frameworks, and business planning. These initiatives are based on global evidence and local needs assessments.
SEECO provides childcare services at livelihood facilities such as entrepreneurship centers and artisan marketplaces. It also offers safe transportation for women participants. Male family members are involved in the project activities to enhance support for women's participation.
SOGREEN replicates these approaches nationwide while integrating women into decision-making processes related to livelihood facility designs.
Since its inception in 2021, SEECO has benefited over 4,000 participants and established community facilities across affected areas. SOGREEN builds on this success by focusing on green growth within Türkiye's development strategy.
Funding for SEECO comes from a $48.04 million grant from the European Union Facility for Refugees in Türkiye (FRiT). Meanwhile, SOGREEN is financed through a $400 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
Partnerships with financial institutions help ensure equitable access to finance for women- and youth-led enterprises while addressing their unique needs through technical assistance.
Looking forward, efforts will continue focusing on scaling inclusive economic opportunities within Türkiye's green transition framework while embedding successful strategies into national policies.