Women's entrepreneurship is a significant segment of the overall economic development, whose progress contributes to strengthening its capacities, providing financial and non-financial support, as well as networking women entrepreneurs, it was stated from the Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro (PKCG).
"The development of women's entrepreneurship depends on its affirmation and capacity-building, as well as on improving the position and economic empowerment of women, which implies their greater participation in decision-making, more prosperous society, a healthier economy, and more complete gender equality," it was said by the PKCG to the agency Mina-business. They believe that for the development of women's entrepreneurship is the significant provision of financial and non-financial support, which includes credit lines with more favorable terms and interest rates, as well as organizing informational seminars and meetings and educating entrepreneurs in the area of making the business plans, market research and marketing plan development.
Additionally, networking between women entrepreneurs and networking through joint projects, as well as full co-operation between all collaborators in public, private and civil sectors is needed to enable women's entrepreneurial potential to make full use of the development of the economy and modern society," the PKCG said.
They added that the latest data show that more and more women are starting and running a business.
According to the Tax Administration data, the share of women who own micro, small and medium enterprises is 24.3 percent. These data show that there is an evident increase in the number of women entrepreneurs from 2011 to 2017, as much as 38.4 percent. In EU countries, the share of women in entrepreneurship is about 30 percent, so we can say that we are heading in the right direction," said PKCG.
They reported that women's entrepreneurship is the fastest growing category in the business world and that this trend had affected all countries the same, regardless of the degree of economic development.
"By developing women's entrepreneurship prerequisites for opening new job vacancies are being created, enabling the development of society as a whole," the representatives of PKCG said.
They argue that access to finance is a basic obstacle to business start-ups because women are in a worse position than men, especially because the majority in Montenegro do not own property and are not able to provide financial resources on their own.
"Women are considerably more concerned with dealing with the business also due to the alignment with the numerous household management and childcare obligations. The growth of total wealth of the society and women's entrepreneurship, as a part of the overall, gets in effect," they explained in PKCG.
They added that the Government and relevant institutions, through the implementation of policies, strategies and action plans, work on the development and full implementation of measures of gender equality and economic empowerment of women. "The Women's Entrepreneurship Development Strategy in Montenegro from 2015 is of great importance to support women's entrepreneurial potential as well as to create a favorable business environment for their inclusion in entrepreneurship," the PKCG said.
They said that a large number of activities that are part of the strategy have already been realized and have given positive results. Also, the Strategy for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Montenegro from last year, special attention has been devoted to the promotion of women's, social and entrepreneurial of the youth.
The PKCG also stated that the Activity Plan for obtaining gender equality in Montenegro 2017-2021 represents a development document for the implementation of gender equality policy, and includes, among other things, also the gender equality in economy.
Text by MINA Business, on May 3rd, 2019, read more at Vijesti
