The overarching goal of the project is to empower women in the Western Balkans (WB) and
ensure their full access to economic rights. This will be achieved by supporting women’s
entrepreneurial activities, fostering their employability, and enabling a conducive
environment for inclusive economic development in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North
Macedonia, and Montenegro.
Key outputs:
– Entrepreneur women in the selected target locations develop and grow
environmentally sound businesses through financial and technical support.
– Raised employability of women in the target locations, through soft skills
development, certified vocational education and trainings.
– Upgraded environment for women’s economic inclusion at community and societal
levels.
– Strengthened capacities of institutional stakeholders to integrate gender sensitive
approaches in employability and entrepreneurship programs.
The project will support 350 women with business trainings; 182 women-led businesses with
business development support; 2,000 vulnerable women with employability trainings and 200
young women with Vocational Education and Training (VET); 500 men will be included in
joint gender norms sessions; 50 VET professionals sensitized to women’s training needs; 400
stakeholders and 80 media representatives included in advocacy activities and campaigns. 10
women-led grassroots CSOs will receive trainings and financial support to engage at
community level. 546 employees of supported businesses will consolidate their jobs or be
recruited due to improved business operation. Additionally, 40,000 citizens will be addressed
through information/social campaigns and more than 400,000 women will benefit from the
project advocacy through capacity building and collaborative work with local stakeholders.
Mapping of stakeholders, policies, and services affecting women economic Justice (WEJ)
across the region. Establishment of an Innovation Fund. (OP 1) Business training and
technical support to entrepreneur women for the development and growth of environmentally
sustainable businesses. Financial and technical assistance to selected women-led businesses.
Facilitation of linkages with value chains and financial services. (OP 2) Identification of labor
market needs. Specialized Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses for unemployed
women, and awareness raising, employability, and soft skills training for vulnerable women.
Sensitization for VET service providers to ensure gender-sensitive training programs. (OP 3)
Gender norms and financial literacy sessions and sensitization in communities. Awareness
raising campaigns. (OP 4) Additionally, 10 grassroots CSOs will be selected, trained, and
supported to lead advocacy efforts for women’s economic inclusion at the community level.
SRB, BIH, MKD, and MNE face significant gender disparities, with women experiencing
lower employment rates, limited access to property and financial services,
underrepresentation in business, and income inequality. Women, especially the most
vulnerable, lack soft skills for employment and skills in demand. These differences are rooted
in traditional gender norms that place women in caregiving roles and limit their participation
in the formal economy. Although the four target countries have legal frameworks and
national policies promoting gender equality, the implementation of these measures often falls
short. Public institutions, including labor offices and entrepreneurship support centers,
frequently lack the gender expertise needed to implement programs that effectively address
women’s needs.
