The National Chamber of entrepreneurs discussed the economic advancement of women in rural areas as part of the Address "The third Modernization of Kazakhstan: global competitiveness"

The event was attended by Deputy Chairmans of NCE Nurzhan Altaev and Eldar Zhumagaziev, deputies of the Mazhilis - the chairman of the NGO "Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan" Meruert Kazbekova and a member of the National Commission for Women Affairs, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Irina Unzhakova, Director of the Representation of the Fund named after Konrad Adenauer in Kazakhstan Thomas Helm, as well as representatives of JSC "Damu" Entrepreneurship Development Fund, JSC "Agrarian Credit Corporation" and SE "Office of entrepreneurship and industry of Astana". The guest of honor of the event was the Olympic champion, the deputy of the Mazhilis Olga Shishigina.

Opening the event, Nurzhan Altaev congratulated the participants of the "round table" with the upcoming International Women's Day and said that the women are the founders of Kazakhstani business.
"When Kazakhstan gained independence, and we have begun the transition to a market economy in the 90s, unfortunately, many men were not able to move quickly and were left without work. At this point, women adapted and began a simple shuttle business, which basically to kept the economy going and helped to survive. It is the merit of women", - said Nurzhan Altaev.

According to him, today in Kazakhstan women's entrepreneurship is well developed - 42% of SMEs are women, who give more than 40% of GDP. Many types of businesses have a female face.
According to Nurzhan Altaev, today it is necessary to create conditions for the development of women's entrepreneurship in rural areas, because almost half of Kazakhstani population lives in villages.

"Last year, NCE actively raised the issue of creating a new state program of development of rural areas and agriculture. We have been heard and supported. The Head of State gave instructions to make the agribusiness program not based on the industries, because the village - it is a certain way of life. There is a need to develop the infrastructure. In January, the program has been signed, now much attention will be paid to the disclosure of the potential of the rural population", - said the deputy chairman of NCE.

Deputy Chairman of NCE Eldar Zhumagaziev announced four components aimed at the development of entrepreneurship in rural areas.

"Our goal is to offer projects that scale well and can cover the entire country. It is important to create an eco-system of SME development in the countryside, it is composed of several parts. The first – is training courses, what the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan and NCE do within the project “Bastau business". In Kazakhstan, there are 160 district centers, in 80 of them we implement this project within which women are mostly trained. The second - micro-credits in rural areas. Our proposals are accepted. The final borrower receives a 6% up to 16-18 million. The villagers already have this possibility. The third - is to help with infrastructure. Because, for example, it is difficult to get land. Administrative barriers, the attitude of government agencies, etc. And our proposal is in this respect is to create a triangle - the prosecutor's office, akim of a district and a representative of a village - which will solve these problems. You complain, if, for example, you can’t legally obtain a land plot. We want to scale such a triangle, so that they solve these problems in rural areas", - said Eldar Zhumagaziev.

And the fourth key component, according to the deputy chairman of NCE, is information support. Eldar Zhumagaziev cited the example of China, where the success stories of entrepreneurs are actively promoted.

"We interviewed the population and only 4% are aware of the measures of state support of business and the number of businesses is 15%. We asked the deputies to intervene in this process, to convey information to the people. Together, these four components can assist in the development of the business", - said Eldar Zhumagaziev.

Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Office in Kazakhstan Thomas Hjelm noted the close cooperation with the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan on development of female entrepreneurship, and also said that SMEs in Kazakhstan can become the engine of the economy, as well as in Germany.

"In German economy is mainly based on small and medium-sized businesses, 97% of enterprises - are SME. It may be enterprises with fewer than 5000 people and 90% of them - are family businesses, employing up to 10 people. Therefore we call the small and medium businesses the engine of the German economy. It is important that the transformation of the economy of Kazakhstan is based on the development of SMEs, which will diversify the economy, which is very important for the economy of Kazakhstan", - said Thomas Hjelm.

Mazhilis deputy, member of the National Commission for Women Affairs, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Irina Unzhakova spoke about the importance of introduction of technologies in the basic industries, digitalization of government and other commercial services, an economy of simple things.
"We can produce soap ourselves? Yes! And we use the Belarusian household cleaning products. The neighbors are very happy that we buy from them. These are jobs! This we can make ourselves", - said Irina Unzhakova.

According to deputy, service sector, tourism promising business areas in Kazakhstan, but it is necessary to develop the infrastructure and to improve the quality of provided services.
"The most important feature of Kazakhs - is hospitality. And it should be used ", - said the MP.

In general, a "round table" was held in a form of constructive and open discussion. Women were very pleased with the attention of the two heads of NCE, and they thanked NCE and the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan in the face of Meruert Kazbekova for a platform for a dialogue.
"The Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan exists 12 years and we are the only women's organization that is accredited by the National Chamber of entrepreneurs, we are very happy. We hope for further cooperation for the benefit of development of women's entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan ", - summed up the meeting Mazhilis deputy, chairman of the NGO "Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan" Meruert Kazbekova.