Development and support of women’s entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan

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.

Web-editor: Aizhan new