December 19, 2024 – Of the 41 measures included in the Roadmap developed by the Economic Council under the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, 32 have already been implemented or are in the process of being implemented. This was announced by Carolina Bugaian, Deputy Chair of the National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, during a meeting held today.

According to Carolina Bugaian: In Section 1: Human Capital and Culture, 15 out of 17 measures have already been implemented or are in the process of being implemented. These include: The launch of an Entrepreneurship Marathon targeting 10th and 11th-grade students to develop entrepreneurial thinking; The organization of a summer school on “Financial Education for Girls”; The implementation of the Legal and Financial Empowerment Program.

In Section 2: Access to Markets and Finance, aimed at increasing the number of women-led exporting companies, attracting more investments, and developing socially significant businesses, including in rural areas, 9 out of 11 measures have been implemented or are in the process of being implemented.

In Section 3: Developing Sustainable Policies, 8 out of 13 measures have already been implemented or are in the process of being implemented. Implemented measures include: Developing and promoting legislative initiatives to improve access to early childhood education services; Supporting national authorities in promoting women’s economic empowerment through data collection, analysis, and advocacy for women’s entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova; Creating a concept for a national information portal on “Economic Empowerment” with links to available support programs, etc.

Veronica Arpintin, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, and Chair of the National Council for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality, noted that for the institution she heads, measures to support women’s economic empowerment are one of the key priorities.

Dominica Stoyanovska, UN Women Representative in Moldova, noted that, like many countries in the world, the Republic of Moldova faces a number of challenges in the area of economic empowerment and gender equality. Only 33% of all companies in Moldova are headed by women. The solution may lie in expanding women’s access to finance and promoting financial education among them.

Mihaela Miron, Chairwoman of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs within the General Union of Industrialists of Romania, also spoke at the meeting. She emphasized the benefits of participating in women’s entrepreneurship networks: “Mutual support, knowledge exchange, and access to European funds open up new opportunities.” Key points highlighted in the translation: Significant progress has been made in implementing the Roadmap for Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality.

Various initiatives have been launched to support women’s economic empowerment, including education programs, entrepreneurship initiatives, and policy development. Challenges remain, such as the low percentage of women-led businesses in Moldova. The importance of networks and access to resources for women entrepreneurs has been emphasized.

The Secretariat of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, funded by the UK Government’s Good Governance Fund.