Strengths of women’s entrepreneurship

During the crisis, women have more chances to show their proactiveness. This conclusion was made on the I-st ​​regional forum "Women and Business in South Kazakhstan", held at the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of SKO.

The forum brought together more than 200 representatives of the women’s entrepreneurship of South-Kazakhstan from all districts of the region and some other regions of Kazakhstan.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide a platform for participants to discuss the situation with women's entrepreneurship during the crisis, the development of effective solutions for its development.

Recently, in South-Kazakhstan business women play an increasingly important role. More and more women are engaged in business and professional life. Today, according to the Statistics Agency of Kazakhstan, 41% of small and medium-sized businesses are the companies headed by women.

Here are some figures about women managers of SKR. In Southern Kazakhstan women head 35 joint-stock companies, 5026 private limited companies, 56 499 women are individual entrepreneurs, 13,063 head peasant and crop production farms. As for the strengths of female entrepreneurship, the participants presented data of sociologists, which states the following: women's entrepreneurship is under less pressure of criminal structures, it is advantageous to invest, it is very durable and reliable, as a business woman protects her good name and tries to keep the business for the sake of the children. According to psychologists, the weaker sex is easier to cope with stress and to adapt quickly to unexpected changes. In a crisis situation a woman is much more likely to show pro-activeness.

"An important role in the strengthening of women's entrepreneurship plays involvement of women entrepreneurs in the Council of Business Women, created in all the regional chambers of entrepreneurs, - said chairman of the Council of Business Women of RCE of SKR Alma Arkhabaeva. - These Councils are a working body, organized specifically to support women's business activities, contributing to the creation of regional schools for women's entrepreneurship, monitoring the provision of public services to business women, promoting women's leadership in business. The solution of all these problems will enhance the participation of women in the business environment".

Businesswoman spoke about problems, which they frequently encounter: it is the unavailability of loans, poor awareness on the measures of state support and opportunities for business development; lack of specialized knowledge and skills of women entrepreneurs; lack of infrastructure for the maintenance and development of women's entrepreneurship; administrative barriers to the development of entrepreneurship, including women’s entrepreneurship.

It was noted that in Kazakhstan there are state programs of business development with orientation on women as well. The forum participants received information about the possibilities of financing for their business with the help of instruments of state support for business. So, with the help of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, there were allocated 3.7 billion tenge to support women's entrepreneurship. The funds were granted under the guarantee of the Fund "Damu" within the frames of the program "Women in Business". In the next 3 years, the program will cover about 2,000 borrowers with a maximum line of credit for one borrower in the amount of 550 million tenge.

During the forum were announced conditions of the competition the best start up. The winner, who is able to justify and to defend its project will be able to get concessional financing for businesses in the amount of up to 3 million tenge. The process will be held under the supervision of the Council of Business Women and the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of SKR.

Akimat of the region also expressed its position on the development of women's entrepreneurship. Deputy akim of the region Yerlan Aytakhanov assured that Akimat of SKR on its part supports the women's initiative and is open to women entrepreneurs from SKR. This was confirmed by a memorandum of cooperation between the regional akimat and the Council of Business Women, which was signed here during the forum.

New impetus to the development of women's entrepreneurship will give training programs, seminars and workshops that will be organized by the Council. It is planned to teach women to the basics of financial literacy and tax issues. Sectional meetings of the Forum were devoted to women's leadership and to how to build a successful career.

Director of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs of South Kazakhstan region Askar Abubakirov noted that "the main purpose of today's meeting is to propose mechanisms of communication and contacts between entrepreneurs, public organizations and the government, through which our voice and the professional opinion of the business community can be heard and we will be able to influence the laws in order to protect the interests of women entrepreneurs and business in general".

The forum lasted all day and was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere where participants were able to just to exchange contacts and to discuss in an informal environment the important issues and problems.

The next day, guests of the forum visited the industrial zone of Shymkent. Today, there are dozens of implemented investment projects, which create thousands of jobs.