The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Justina Shiroka Pula, participated today in the Regional Conference for Women Entrepreneurs.
President Shiroka Pula characterised the conference as an opportunity to showcase work, exchange experiences, and create new opportunities.
According to President Shiroka Pula, the economic empowerment of women is a matter of equality, but also of economic development. She added that when women have the opportunity to develop their own businesses, society as a whole benefits: jobs are created, competition increases, and the economy is strengthened.
Nevertheless, she noted that women still face obstacles in accessing financing, markets, and business networks.
She further stated that conditions must be created to enable women not only to launch businesses but also to develop and expand them. President Shiroka Pula stated that this issue holds personal significance for her, as she was part of the working group on the Integration of Women into the Economy in the early 2000s, during the drafting of Kosovo’s Action Plan for Achieving Gender Equality, which was adopted in 2004.
Madam President emphasized that gender equality only gains real meaning when it translates into concrete opportunities for women.
According to her, Kosovo has made progress—with over 12,000 women benefiting from employment support programs—but she stated that more must be done.
She pointed out that women in Kosovo spend an average of 6.2 hours per day performing unpaid labor—a burden that limits the time they have available for employment and business development.
The President stated that the economic empowerment of women is a shared responsibility among institutions, the financial sector, businesses, and international partners.
In conclusion, President Shiroka Pula remarked that women entrepreneurs possess the ideas, skills, and determination to succeed, adding that it is our duty to ensure they have equal opportunities to realize their full potential.
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