Women, child safety take spotlight at NATO Summit
Alongside discussions on defense spending, deterrence and regional security, the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara expanded its agenda to include women's leadership, child safety and societal resilience, reflecting a broader approach to security challenges.
Parallel events during the summit focused on protecting children in the digital age and strengthening the role of women in crisis response, disaster recovery and peacebuilding.
Digital child safety in focus
First Lady Emine Erdoğan hosted the spouses of NATO leaders and partner countries at Ankara's Çankaya Mansion for a roundtable titled "Children, Technology and Security: Protecting the Next Generation."
Addressing growing concerns over children's online safety, Erdoğan said digital transformation has created new risks, including exposure to harmful content, manipulation and excessive data collection. She called for child safety to become a fundamental design principle for digital platforms, with greater transparency in algorithms and stronger oversight of technology companies.
Erdoğan also highlighted Türkiye's efforts to regulate children's access to social media and promoted the country's Digital World Children's Rights Convention initiative as a framework for international cooperation.
Women's role in resilience
The summit also featured a panel organized by the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM), bringing together representatives from international organizations, academia and civil society to discuss women's contribution to societal resilience.
KADEM Chairperson Canan Sarı said modern security extends beyond military threats to include migration, natural disasters, pandemics, economic vulnerabilities and climate change. She stressed that women play a vital role in supporting families and rebuilding communities during crises.
Participants highlighted the importance of expanding women's leadership in humanitarian response, disaster recovery and peacebuilding, while emphasizing improved access to healthcare, economic opportunities and social support as key elements of resilient societies.
Source:DailySabah-Photo:AA
