Inclusion of women into climate-smart entrepreneurship and innovation in North Macedonia
The project's primary goal is to increase women's involvement in circular and climate-smart agriculture, business, and innovations. Its uniqueness lies in connecting three important and mutually influencing areas: gender equality and economic development through innovative business and climate-smart solutions. The project works comprehensively in these areas - it contributes to positive changes through high-quality support programs, raising awareness, involving the private sector, building partnerships with policymakers in the public sector, and transferring the experience of non-governmental organizations and experts from Slovakia.
The project will support Macedonian women in building a gender-inclusive, climate-conscious, and agriculturally innovative country.
The project's uniqueness lies in connecting three important and mutually influencing areas: gender equality, economic development through innovative business, and climate-smart solutions.
The project will encourage Macedonian women to be bold and launch their startups. We will provide them with space, know-how, and funding. Our goal is to support the inclusion of women and climate-intelligent and innovative solutions in startups and already established companies. Subsequently, we want to enforce the importance of these topics in public discourse by establishing positive relationships with policymakers.
The key is to transfer the experience of Slovak non-governmental organizations and experts in sustainable and climate-smart solutions in business, agriculture, and innovation.
Education of women from disadvantaged groups
Improving the position of women in the workplace
Raising awareness among the general public
Building capacities of the local partner
Initiation of collaboration between private and non-profit sector
Statistics
Women in North Macedonia face social problems rooted in traditional patriarchal values and gender roles in the family and society. These obstacles limit their full economic participation. Women's participation in decision-making and policymaking in the public sector is even lower.
Did you know that...
... according to the Global Gender Gap Report (2021), which examined the status of women in 156 countries through 4 key factors (economic participation and opportunities, educational attainment, health and survival, and political status), North Macedonia finished 73rd?
4 pillars of the project
1. Raising awareness of the importance of greater representation of women in business and innovation
2. Capacity building, incubation of startups and innovative companies led by women from disadvantaged groups
3. Development of responsible business with an emphasis on the topics of diversity and inclusion, circular economy and climate-smart solutions
4. Creation of recommendations and advocacy at the public level and the private sector
When and where will the project take place?
The project will take place from September 2022 to December 2023. It will be implemented in areas outside the capital, namely Tetovo, Gostivar, and Bitola. It also includes activities with national overlap.
Who is the project partner?
Our leading partner is the local organization South East European University Foundation in Tetovo. It was founded in 2001 as a non-profit organization of SEE Tetovo University to support quality educational projects and research. The institution is considered a leader in the country's incubation and technological innovation field.
Who do we cooperate with?
In the project, we use the experience of companies such as Neulogy Ventures, Matsuko, and HubHub. Cooperation with the Institute for Circular Economy (INCIEN) and experts from the Slovak University of Agriculture, who built and are running the innovative FoodHub, is also essential. The Women's Algorithm or Business Leaders Forum will also help us with specific questions.
The project was supported by SlovakAid funds under no. SAMRS/2022/ZB/1/6.
