The World Bank on Friday approved a new grant aimed at creating more jobs for women in Tajikistan and supporting women-led businesses with access to financial services.
The approval comes as the country marks Labor Day, highlighting ongoing efforts to expand economic opportunities for Tajik women, who continue to face challenges in accessing education, employment, and training.
The Tajikistan Women’s Economic Empowerment Project (TWEEP) is expected to create an estimated 3,450 new jobs and support 850 women-owned and women-led businesses in accessing financial services through a USD4.73 million grant from the Japan Social Development Fund.
“Jobs are the foundation of growth. But barriers remain, preventing women from starting new businesses at the same rate and holding back a powerful engine of growth,” said Gael Raballand, the World Bank Group Country Manager for Tajikistan.
“The project aims to contribute toward closing that gap and strengthening social inclusion, which is critical for a more economically vibrant Tajikistan.”
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Grants and trainings
According to the World Bank, the TWEEP will support thousands of aspiring women entrepreneurs across key regions of the country, including Dushanbe, the Districts of Republican Subordination, and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast.
Specifically, the program will provide grants to women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to help scale their operations, alongside entrepreneurship training and skills development.
Implementation will be led by the State Committee for Investment and State Property Management of Tajikistan in coordination with the Committee on Women and Family Affairs and the State Business Incubator.
Gender inequality still an issue
Despite efforts by the government and international organizations, gender inequality and gender-based violence remain significant issues in Tajikistan, with the Central Asian county ranking 112th out of 146 in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Report.
Women’s participation in the labor force is also lower at 31.8%, compared with 51.3% for men, according to the World Bank in 2024.
However, progress has been made in women’s political participation, with an increasing number of women parliamentarians in recent years.
According to recent data from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), women in Tajikistan now hold 28.6% of seats in the House of Representatives and 30.3% in the National Assembly, reflecting gradual improvements in parliamentary representation.
Govt’s efforts to empower women
Last March, delegations from Tajikistan also participated in the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York, where Bunafsha Fayziddinzoda, head of the delegation, highlighted Dushanbe’s efforts to support and empower women.
“The Republic of Tajikistan consistently supports international efforts to advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and pursues a state policy to increase women’s participation in the country’s political, economic, and social life,” Fayziddinzoda said.
The delegation also noted that the funding for the Committee on Women and Family Affairs for 2022-2026 has been raised by 151%, underscoring the government’s emphasis on strengthening women’s rights and empowerment, according to KazInform International News Agency.
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