In Kazakhstan, the share of women
owning small and medium-sized businesses stands at nearly 50 percent. In large
businesses, the situation is slightly different, their share is less than 20
percent. In this regard, the country is actively developing various educational
and training programs aimed at helping Kazakh women entrepreneurs transition into
the larger business segment. They need to continually update and expand their
knowledge in such areas as marketing, IT, finance, and sales. Notably, such
projects are launched by the government and large international organizations,
financial institutions, and other partners, including representatives of the
creative industry.
«We have access to international
grants. However, women living in rural areas often lack proficiency in English
and digital skills. By offering educational modules, we aim to engage women and
provide them opportunities to access information about such tools. We encourage
them to explore international examples of special funds that support female
entrepreneurship and to consider how collaboration between women-led businesses
and larger enterprise support programs can be integrated,» said Irina
Kharitonova, director of the Creative Innovation Institute of the Central Asia
Sustainable Development Fund.
Extensive work is also being
carried out with the support of the UN Women in Kazakhstan. This includes
organizing training sessions, various educational projects, and programs.
Thanks to one of the initiatives developed jointly with the Kazakh government,
last year, centers for women’s entrepreneurship development appeared in all
regions and major cities of the country.
«These centers, operating on a single
window principle, provided consultations to women entrepreneurs across the
regions of Kazakhstan. By the end of 2023, over 10,000 women had received
consultations. There was an opportunity to expand and boost existing businesses.
This year, we also plan to hold joint events with venture organizations and
funds present in Kazakhstan. I believe this is an achievement for the country,
as we are reaching a new stage where women are actively involved in corporate
financial management. We are exploring ways to improve business conditions
through digitalization and innovation,» noted Dina Amrisheva, acting head of
the UN Women’s Office in Kazakhstan.
Education and healthcare remain
the most common areas of entrepreneurial activity among Kazakh women. Nevertheless,
the number of women businesses in the country involved in the manufacturing
industry has grown in recent years. According to statistics, over the past five
years, the share of women in this sector has increased by nearly 30 percent.
