An International Women’s Business Forum is held in Bishkek. It is organized by the Congress of Women and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The main goal of the forum is to form a partnership of women entrepreneurs to strengthen their economic potential. Representatives of Russia, Belarus, China, Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and Pakistan are taking part in the event.
The head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic Temir Sariev noted that, according to research, about 30-40 percent of the total number of registered entrepreneurs in Kyrgyzstan are women.
He listed the difficulties faced by female entrepreneurs — gender stereotypes, balance between family and work, network of contacts, and access to financing.
«Research shows that female entrepreneurs face difficulties in obtaining financing. About 20-30 percent of women, who are members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, report difficulties in accessing loans and investments, since financial institutions sometimes prefer to work with men,» Temir Sariev said.
