A total amount of presidential grants awarded to women entrepreneurs this yeas year has been doubled, reaching 5 million somonis, an official with the Committee on Family and Women’s Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan, told reporters in Dushanbe on August 5.
According to him, this year, the presidential grants ranging from 25,000 to 60,000 somonis will be awarded to 120 women in business.
“A total of 396 projects have already been submitted for the competition, from which the best 120 will be competitively selected shortly," the official added
The previous total amount of presidential grants had reportedly 200 2.5 million somonis and the grants had been awarded to 80 women entrepreneurs.
Presidential grants are awarded on a competitive basis to women who present their projects. These grants have been awarded to women entrepreneurs since 2006 at the initiative of President Emomali Rahmon and are aimed at promoting entrepreneurial activities and traditional crafts. Initially, the total grant amount was 150,000 somonis.
The primary goal of these grants is to create jobs for women and girls, increase the production of handmade products, especially in sewing and craft workshops, and improve the economic level of families.
However, it was noted at the news conference that in the first half of this year, the number of female individual entrepreneurs in the country has decreased by 31,629 and was nearly 54,000 as of July 1, 2024 (compared to 85,614 female entrepreneurs as of the same date last year).
Committee representatives attributed this decline to the unfavorable global economic situation, which also affects the economic condition of the country. They did not provide specific details on how the global economic situation influences the reduction of women in business in Tajikistan.
At the same time, the number of women heading farming households has reportedly increased by over 14,000 compared to the same period last year, reaching nearly 52,000.
