Unleashing the potential of Kazakh businesswomen

Providing women with the finance and advice they need in order to grow their businesses is a priority for the EBRD in Kazakhstan. In 2016, the Bank extended the equivalent of €23 million in local currency financing as part of its Women in Business programme in the country.

Credit lines under the initiative were signed with CenterCredit, ForteBank, the microfinance organisation KMF and Shinhan Bank. The first Women in Business credit line in Kazakhstan was extended to CenterCredit in late 2015.

The programme combines support for partner financial institutions and businesswomen to unleash the economic potential of a section of the population that has traditionally been underserved by the financial sector. Although conditions are improving, women-led firms in Kazakhstan often face obstacles in obtaining credit and developing managerial skills.