Bishkek, Nov. 22, 2021 / Kabar /. Kyrgyzstan adopted a state programme to support women in business on the Women's Entrepreneurship Day, Kabar reported.

For its seventh year, the Kurak Women's Entrepreneurship association held a series of events, workshops and a major conference to mark the occasion, highlighting the contribution women have made to the country's economy in the 30 years since it became independent, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan reported.

Ainoura Sagynbayeva, an ambassador of World Women's Entrepreneurship Day in Kyrgyzstan and co-founder of the Kurak Women's Forum, said the WED-2021 was a historic event for Kyrgyz women entrepreneurs - the day before the celebration, a state programme was signed to support and develop women entrepreneurship in the Kyrgyz Republic.

"This programme will raise the level of education and medicine, create additional jobs in Kyrgyzstan and reduce female migration," said Ainoura Sagynbaeva.

According to Monika Rizhal, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan, the contribution of women to the economy cannot be underestimated. The United Nations Development Programme, within project “ Aid for Trade in Central Asia” with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, has allocated over 300,000 dollars for the implementation of initiatives.

UNDP also provides innovative and inclusive funding and grant assistance to women in the business sector and supports dialogue platforms, such as the Women's Entrepreneurship Day in Kyrgyzstan.

One of the main partners of WED-2021, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, has been implementing the Woman in Business mentoring programme since 2020 together with the women's association "Kurak". EBRD Regional Director for Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan Ayten Rustamova says that as part of the gender equality strategy adopted six years ago, the European Bank is working hard to create favourable conditions for the development of women's entrepreneurship.

"In 2017, work began on a study on the state of women's entrepreneurship in Kyrgyzstan, and the bank has supported work on the creation of a state programme. We will be glad to see a qualitative improvement in women entrepreneurship in the country," Aiten Rustamova added.

The development of women's entrepreneurship today is one of the important conditions for economic growth, according to Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Economy and Commerce, Daniyar Amangeldiyev.

"Women's active participation directly contributes to economic growth and prosperity. For example, the number of women entrepreneurs grew by 6,000 in 2021, according to the National Statistics Committee. Most socially-oriented businesses and educational projects are implemented by women. Many women entrepreneurs work in rural areas, and women's entrepreneurship can be promoted through the prism of a "green economy". The creative economy should be mentioned separately. This is an industry with great potential for increased participation by women," said the head of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

He added that within the framework of the adopted state programme with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's partners in the Kyrgyz Republic for the next 5 years it is planned to allocate funds for lending to companies run by women, training and consultations for the development of women's business.

World Women's Entrepreneurship Day has been held under the auspices of the UN since 2014. The mission of the global initiative, joined by 144 countries, is to support and empower women entrepreneurs around the world.

In Kyrgyzstan, the event is being organised for the seventh time by the Kurak Women's Forum. The initiative is supported by leading international organizations: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the PEAK Kyrgyzstan Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme funded by the UK government, Accelerate Prosperity, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Swiss government, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and others.

At the beginning of 2021 there were 3.3 million women in Kyrgyzstan, which is 50.4% of the total population. Women's employment by type of economic activity reaches 38.4%. Most of them work in social entrepreneurship, light industry, beauty industry, trade, tourism and catering. The share of women in such economic activities as real estate operations is 93 per cent, health care and social services 84 per cent, education 80 per cent, hotel and restaurant business 60 per cent.