In Central Asia, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often have poor development opportunities. In addition, there is a large gap in access to finance and to skills and employment, especially for women. These structural deficits prevent women-led SMEs from realising their economic potential. In particular, lack of access to finance is a major obstacle to development and growth for women-owned businesses. The lack of adequate finance tailored to the specific needs of SMEs, combined with fewer opportunities for women to gain management experience and a traditional lack of encouragement for women by society and environment to enter into business activities, mean that these enterprises are mostly confined to low value-added and low-productivity sectors.
Project Content
The EBRD has designed the Women in Business Programme with the objective to promote and support women’s entrepreneurship in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) and more broadly, women’s participation in business by raising gender awareness in financial institutions and assisting women-led SMEs to access finance, know-how and advice. "Women in Business" are to be promoted through education, training, and the granting of loans in the project countries. This will build on the experience gained in Tajikistan, where a similar EBRD project has been implemented by German Sparkassenstiftung since mid-2017 and many innovations occurring also through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in digitalizing training formats and project work.
German Sparkassenstiftung (Lead) together with its partner IPC implements the project in Central Asia.
Services provided
Analysis of financial institutions with respect to their suitability to render services to small and medium-sized women-led enterprises
Design and development of suitable organisational structures, business models and strategies
Processes supporting financial institutions to introduce, pursue respectively extend efficient lending schemes for the target group
Execution of encompassing capacity-building measures
Development of internal training capacities
Development of lending products comprising a large share of financial and economic education for women
By working on this project, we are contributing to the fulfillment of these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in accordance with the 2030 Agenda:
German Sparkassen-stiftung
The German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation is the development-policy arm of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. Its task is to disseminate the successful Sparkasse idea across borders and around the globe. The German Sparkassenstiftung strengthens financial institutions and promotes financial literacy for all segments of the population. This broadens access to financial services and helps to create jobs and generate income.
