Near East University, as part of the March 8th International Women’s Day celebrations, organized a seminar titled “From Compassion to Power: The Digital Future for Women with Disabilities” with the aim of empowering individuals with disabilities and mothers in the digital world. The event, featuring experts in the field, addressed topics such as digital literacy and technology-supported education.

Near East University, ranked among the top 500 universities in the world, organized a meaningful event aimed at supporting individuals with disabilities, and especially mothers of children with disabilities, to have a stronger presence in the digital world. The event, titled “From Compassion to Power: The Digital Future for Women with Disabilities” was held at the Yeni Dünya +1 Cafe, organized in collaboration with the Near East University Digital Education and Information Unit (DEBİM), the Distance Education and Information Technologies Coordination Office (UZEBİM), the Social Research and Development Center, and the Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality Yeni Dünya (New World) Accessible Activity Center.

The opening speech of the event, which addressed digital literacy, technology-supported education, and social solidarity, was given by Çelen Çağansoy, a member of the Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality Education and Solidarity Center Council. In her speech, Çağansoy emphasized the importance of the opportunities offered by technology for disabled individuals and their families to participate more actively in social life, stating, “One of the strongest areas of social solidarity is producing work that will make life easier for disabled individuals. Digital technologies offer us new opportunities in this regard today.”

The event, which saw high participation, was attended by Prof. Dr. Sezer Kanbul, Director of the Digital Education and Information Unit (DEBİM) from Near East University; UZEBİM Coordinators lecturer Pelin Gür Yarımsakallı and lecturer Zöhre Serttaş; the UZEBİM team; and the Presidents of the Social Research and Development Center, Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay and Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay, as well as academics and students.

The role of individuals with disabilities and their families in the digital world was discussed in detail…

Lecturer Zöhre Serttaş, in her presentation titled “From Compassion to Power: The Digital Future for Women with Disabilities” explained how digital technologies can empower women’s participation in social and economic life. Lecturer Serttaş emphasized that the ability of women caring for individuals with disabilities to effectively use digital tools is critical for individual empowerment and social participation, stating, “The digital world is not only a technological field; it is also a new social space that provides equal opportunities.”

Lecturer Pelin Gür Yarımsakallı, in her presentation titled “The Power of a Mother, the Support of Technology,” explained how technology-supported applications can facilitate the participation of mothers with disabled children in their educational processes. Lecturer Yarımsakallı stated that mobile applications, online education platforms, and digital communication tools strengthen families’ access to information, adding, “A mother’s compassion and determination, combined with the right technological support, can create a very powerful transformation in children’s developmental processes.”

Lecturer Vedia Ese, in her presentation titled “Digital Literacy for Mothers of Children with Disabilities,” drew attention to the fundamental components of digital literacy. Lecturer Ese emphasized the importance of internet safety, access to information, the use of educational platforms, and the development of basic computer skills for mothers, stating, “Digital literacy is not only about learning to use technology. It is also about being able to access accurate information and use that information in a way that makes life easier.”

Inter-institutional cooperation was established for digital education…

Important assessments were made at the event regarding strengthening inter-institutional cooperation. It was emphasized that new projects need to be developed to increase access to technology for individuals with disabilities and their families. Within this framework, an agreement was reached between Çelen Çağansoy, a member of the Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality Education and Solidarity Center Council, and representatives from DEBİM and UZEBİM to cooperate on implementing digital education applications in special education centers, introducing special software and applications for families of individuals with disabilities, and initiating training programs aimed at acquiring basic computer skills.