Women Entrepreneurship in Moldova - promotion policy and practice.

1. Advancing women’s
entrepreneurship training
policy and practice –
challenges and
developments
MOLDOVA
Emilia Cebotari
SBA Coordinator (replacing person),
Ministry of Economy

2. Association Agreement and DCFTA with EU
(June 27th, 2014)
According to art.32 of the AA with EU, we have committed to ensure
equal opportunities, aiming at enhancing gender equality and ensuring
equal opportunities between women and men, as well as combating
discrimination on all grounds.
National Development Strategy „Moldova 2020”
Strategic vision for Business environment priority: Creating new
businesses will be encouraged by promoting entrepreneurship success stories,
by supporting entrepreneurship, especially among women, as these are
currently only 27.5% of entrepreneurs. Existing mechanisms by which SMEs
benefit from training, and financial and logistical support will be expanded
and diversified.

3. Policy framework containing some provisions
in regard to women’s entrepreneurship
• Law no.5 from 09.02.2006 ensuring equal opportunities for women and
men
• National Program for Ensuring Gender Equality for 2010-2015 approved
by Government Decision no.933 from 31.12.2009
• Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Sector Development Strategy 2012-
2020 approved by Government Decision no.685 from 13.09.2012 and its
new action plan for 2015-2017
• Government Commission for Equality between Men and Women
established according to Government Decision no.350 from 07.04.2006

4. Promoting and encouraging women entrepreneurship
SMEs Sector Development
Strategy 2012-2020
and
its action plan for
implementation 2015-2017
Lessons learnt from the first Small
Business Act Assessment

5. Priority II: Improving access to finance
Developing
innovative schemes
of financing SMEs
Attracting technical and financial assistance
programs for stimulating the creation of new
businesses by young people and women
Priority III: Developing human capital by promoting entrepreneurial skills and culture
Developing and promoting
entrepreneurial culture and
education
Promoting and encouraging women
to launch/develop business
Implementing national Program on
„Efficient business management”
Organizing trainings under the
National Program for Economic
Empowerment of Young people

6. On-going programs and projects on advancing women’s
entrepreneurship
• Pilot program for attracting remittances in the economy PARE 1+1
• Loan Security Fund
• National program for Economic Empowerment of Young People
• Eficient business management program
• SMEs Support and Development program funded by the Japanese Government

7. On-going programs and projects on advancing women’s
• „Women in business” Program, EBRD Business Advisory Service (BAS) Moldova
• Project „Women Entrepreneurship – A Job Creation Engine for South Eastern
Europe”, implemented by the South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial
Learning (SEECEL)
• „Economic empowerment of women through increasing the employment
opportunities in the Republic of Moldova”, UN Women (2010-2013)
• „Better opportunities for Youth and Women”, UNDP
• Moldovan Employment and Entrepreneurship Education and Training Activity
(MEEETA ), (2009-2013)Winrock Moldova
• Network of Business Women Association, created in 2009 comprises 15
organizations
entrepreneurship

8. Establishing the „Platform of the development of
Women entrepreneurship” , SEECEL and GTF
The main goal of the Platform is the advancement of women entrepreneurship in
Moldova through the partnership of private and state sectors.
• Allows to take into account interests of all participants of civil society, interested
in the development of women entrepreneurship in Moldova, developing and
realizing complex actions for the improvement of the conditions for it’s initiation
and development,
• Builds a basis for the development of the private-state dialogue and partnership,
• Provides reduction of the barriers in the face of women entrepreneurship and
improvement of the business climate;
• Promotes stable and qualitative economy growth and life quality growth of
citizens.

9. Women Entrepreneurs Platform in Moldova „At a
cup of tea” (ODIMM in partnership with the
European Commission), launched in 2013
The objectives of the platform are:
(i) to encourage entrepreneurial spirit of
women;
(ii) to facilitate communication by
creating partnerships and networks of
women entrepreneurs;
(iii) to contribute to the professional and
personal development and
(iv) to serve as a tool to promote products
and services of the companies
managed by women entrepreneurs.

10. Main directions and challenges in promoting women
entrepreneurship in Moldova:
1. To promote state structures in the development of legislation and economic
policy documents aimed to create equal conditions for the women
entrepreneurship development and to elaborate formal policy framework
specifically focused upon women entrepreneurship in Moldova.
2. To encourage economic independence of women as a condition of further
development of women entrepreneurship through financial and credit support
for business women, creating a system of guarantee funds and access of
women to all kinds of resources.

11. Main directions and challenges in promoting women
entrepreneurship in Moldova:
3. To promote training of women on business skills, new technologies, work
with Internet and enhance qualifications of women entrepreneurs through the
development of the training and consulting services with the help of state and
non-governmental organizations.
4. To develop entrepreneurship networks and Network of women business
associations and their partnership with other state and private institutions.
5. To develop a systematic statistical data collection mechanism on women’s
entrepreneurship.

12. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION!