INCLUSION OF WOMEN IN BUSINESS CONTRIBUTES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN MITROVICA

“Women in Business”, a conference marked by encouraging discussions and messages of empowerment, was organized by Community Building Mitrovica and D&G Solutions within the project ‘’Supportive business environment for women start-ups in North and South Mitrovica’’. In this conference the achievements of the project resulting in women’s economic empowerment in Mitrovica North and South were presented.

Some of the high representatives from local and central institutions that participated in the conference were: Safet Kamberi - Deputy Mayor of Mitrovica South Municipality, Adrijana Hodzic - Executive Official for Municipality of North Mitrovica, Rita Hajzeraj Beqaj – Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Besa Zogaj Gashi – Deputy Minister of Ministry for Economic Development, and other representatives of local institutions and organizations.

‘During the two years of this project implementation 100 women from Mitrovica North and South advanced their skills in business by attending trainings organized by CBM. 50 of them have benefited additionally on business plan writing and not only, through the mentors platform developed within the project, and 33 women were awarded with grants on the amount of more than 112,000.00 EUR’’ – said project coordinator Kenan Beqiri in his opening remarks. He also noted that at least 20 women that participated in the project have been self-employed.

The event consisted of two panels discussing the institutional support for women in business and also the challenges and opportunities they face. In his speech Deputy Mayor of Mitrovica South Municipality – Safet Kamberi - thanked CBM for the implementation of this project and the good cooperation with the Municipality as one of the partners. ‘’I place great importance in these kind of projects that create opportunities for women to become part of the economic development’’, - said Mr. Kamberi, while Executive Official for Municipality of North Mitrovica - Adrijana Hodzic - encouraged all women to strive further and support other women. In their address to the audience Rita Hajzeraj Beqaj, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, and Besa Zogaj Gashi, Deputy Minister of Ministry for Economic Development congratulated CBM on the project implementation and presented the work that their respective ministries are doing for women economic empowerment.

Following the discussions between the panel and audience, a documentary with the stories of the women grantees of the project was screened.

Conference 'Women in Business' was organized within the project "Supportive business environment for women start-ups in North and South Mitrovicë/a", an EU-funded project managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo, co-funded by Mitrovica South Municipality and MOTT Foundation.

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