The importance of women’s economic empowerment

Visiting the meeting of the Women’s Union in Čačak, in a conversation with members of the UPŽ “Nadežda Petrović” from Čačak, Minister Zorana Mihajlović emphasized the importance of economic empowerment of women through concrete projects, the fight against violence against women and their greater inclusion in social and political life. She reminded that in 2016, the government declared the year as the year of entrepreneurship and set aside 16.5 billion dinars from the budget to support entrepreneurship, a large part of which will be intended for female entrepreneurs. This money is for those who are starting a business, but also those who are already working and need financial support. Maruška Topalović, president of the association of business women “Nadežda Petrović” from Čačak, presented the problems of women’s business and received a firm promise for help in overcoming them. Mihajlović reminded that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is implementing a program of 20 million euros for women’s entrepreneurship and called on women to take advantage of that as well. Gorana Tanasković, who heads the department of the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Čačak, and is also the director of the Association of Čačak Women Entrepreneurs, pointed out how much business women need help and what needs to be done in order to do better business. Otherwise, the Chamber of Commerce significantly helps female entrepreneurs.