Dushanbe (AsiaNews) – In August 2026, there were 108,700 female entrepreneurs in Tajikistan, representing 27.8 per cent of the country’s total businesses, according to Sulton Rakhimzoda, chair of the State Investment Committee, speaking at a press conference in Dushanbe. In 2023, there were 89,500 women engaged in entrepreneurial activities; therefore, compared with 2023, the number of female entrepreneurs has increased by approximately 19,200, equivalent to 21.5 per cent.
Rakhimzoda noted that the majority of women work in small and medium-sized enterprises, primarily in trade and services. Women are also involved in agriculture, crafts, light industry and manufacturing, but the number of industrial enterprises run by them remains limited. One of the new support mechanisms for female entrepreneurs is the ‘Expanding Economic Opportunities for Women in Tajikistan’ project, implemented by the State Investment Committee with the support of the World Bank.
The project has a budget of 4.73 million dollars, provided by the Japan Fund for Social Development, and the World Bank approved funding for the project on 1 May 2026. It will be implemented in Dushanbe, the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, and in cities and provinces under republican jurisdiction. It is expected that 3,200 women will receive training in entrepreneurial skills and financial literacy; of these, 1,600 will be eligible for individual or group grants to start and develop a business. In addition to funding, they will receive advice and assistance in preparing business plans, registering their businesses, opening bank accounts and promoting their products.
A further 100 existing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises led by women will receive advisory support. Of these, 50 businesses will be selected to receive grants of up to US$15,000. Priority will be given to projects that create jobs, utilise digital and environmental solutions, and collaborate with small businesses run by women. According to the World Bank, the project is expected to contribute to the creation of 3,450 new jobs and expand access to financial services for 850 businesses owned or run by women. Including the participants’ family members, the support could reach up to 20,000 people.
As the World Bank notes, women-led businesses often remain small in scale and are concentrated in sectors with relatively low added value. Key obstacles to their development include a lack of collateral, limited access to finance, and a shortage of skills in preparing loan applications and business plans. The government programme for the development of women’s entrepreneurship identifies the following key barriers: a lack of start-up capital; insufficient financial, human and time resources; low levels of legal, financial and digital literacy; and negative gender stereotypes.
Research by theInternational Finance Corporation also shows that women entrepreneurs need loans with lower interest rates and more flexible collateral requirements.
In addition to the lack of finance, women face limited access to information, markets, business contacts and professional advice. These problems are particularly acute in rural areas, where there are fewer branches of financial institutions and more limited access to advisory services. There are also social constraints: traditional views on women’s roles can limit their mobility, access to training and participation in the formal economy. Many women juggle running a business with domestic responsibilities and childcare, which reduces the time available for training, seeking business partners and expanding their operations. Another issue is the informal nature of many women-led businesses: operating without formal registration deprives female entrepreneurs of access to social security, legal protection, bank finance and wider markets. Limited access to digital platforms and e-commerce also prevents women from expanding beyond local markets and entering more profitable sectors.
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