1. Alexandra Nemes Counselor for European Affairs National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men Ministry for Labor, Family and Equal Opportunities ROMANIA ISTANBUL 18 November 2008

2. Characteristics of Romanian women labor force – second part of 2008 Total employed women – 4.265.000, representing - 45% of the total employed persons by status in employment (percents of total number of employees): 29,5% employees 0,4% employer 5,7% self-employed 9,6% contributing family worker Female employment rate – 53,1% vs. male employment rate 66,4% Female unemployment rate – 4,6% vs. male employment rate 6,5% Gender pay gap in 2007 – 13% under the European level of 15%

3. The social pattern of Romanian women entrepreneur In Romania, the enterprises made by women - regarding small and medium enterprises (SME) - play an important role (34% of all enterprises, especially in the field of services and in the retail trade) well established associations of WEs with very efficient initiatives women are under - represented in mainstream business associations, in general and in leadership position most of the questioned women entrepreneurs, with different types of studies have already done or are willing to do entrepreneurial training women appear to participate less than men at business development services training

4. THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN WOMEN’S LIFE - a study made in 2007 by International Centre for Adult Education and Centre d’Information du Droit des Femmes Phocéen – an Excellence Research Partnership for Development of Entrepreneurial Aptitudes and of Competitive Human Capital inside the Economy and the Society Based on Knowledge and Innovation women entrepreneurs start an affair not necessarily because of their experience and talent in running a business, but more often by the need of material compensation and independence the advantages that women think that entrepreneurial activity brings - in the order of importance: consciousness, responsibility, dynamism, tenacity, intelligence and intuition, a good entrepreneurship, requires discipline, organized work and capacity of adaptability to social changes level of education and training of the interviewed WEs - 65.3% of them have superior studies, most of them economics ones family situation - 72.75% of interviewed WEs have children, 74.28% of them personally look after them, only 14.28% have chosen to hire staff trained in child care to look after their children

5. Difficulties during the business lack of experience in the financial planning - 27.55% influence over the personnel - 24.48% Discrimination against WEs when doing business in the industry sectors constructions sector the transport and telecommunications sector the hotel and restaurant sector the smallest number of discrimination cases is found in the agriculture sector Difficulties at the initiation of the business lack of training in the business - 29.59% getting the credits - 27.55% lack of experience in the financial planning - 20.42 % lack of the guaranties - 21.42% lack of guidance and consultancy - 1.02% The motivation of starting an enterprise the need of extra income - 35.71% the need of gaining higher independence - 28.57% alternative against unemployment - 22.44% positive entrepreneurial examples - 7.14% expertise in a certain domain - 5.10% keeping a family tradition - 1.04%

6. Relevant social actors in promoting women entrepreneurship The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Tourism, Trade and Liberal Professions The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Tourism, Trade and Liberal Professions has an active role in promotion of women entrepreneurship Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men, responsible for gender mainstreaming in all national policies ProCredit Bank Some15 microfinance institutions are active, including a specialized bank - ProCredit Bank Association for development of WEs Association for development of WEs – established in 2001, by a group of WEs, as a result of an analyze of problems of WEs. This association promotes the active role of women in the context of economic globalization and the encouragement of this to involve in economic development by using the most modern informative and communication instruments and the management ones. ADAF is a founding member of the Coalition of Women Business Associations (CAFA) and member of Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

7. since 2004 - an important partner in the decision making process concerning the business environment, in present it has 19 members. involved in major initiatives and events: public hearings, public debates, legislative proposals, amendments, and participation in governmental dialogues advocacy efforts - CAFA supports the development of entrepreneurial spirit of women who want to start a business. promote women in management positions, in government, public offices, administration and politics through lobby and advocacy activities establish partnerships with other Romanian and international associations or business support organizations supports the interests of the business community based on the principle of equal chances annual awards for personalities who observe this principle partnership with the media lobby and advocacy activities during the election campaigns in order to contribute to an increased number of women in local government ) The Coalition of Women Business Associations (CAFA )

8. Social policies for promoting women entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is one of the 8 Key Competences meant to assure the building of the European Knowledge Based Society by 2005 first law on microfinance issued, ensuring the consolidation of the sector streamlining of procedures to start and run a business since 2005 - reduction of taxes National Development Plan for Medium Term Economic Development 2004-06 Government Strategy for Supporting the Small and Medium Enterprise Development 2004-2008

9. The scope of this program - promoting of an informative and training system to facilitate the women’s mobility on labor market and to develop the women entrepreneurial aptitudes in view to involve them within the private firms. Specific objectives: increasing of the number of women entrepreneur at the private business level improvement of economic performance of enterprises managed by women by increasing the professional formation of them ensuring the equal access of both women and men to the knowledge based economy sharing of good practices between the business women and establishing a strong network and possibilities of partnerships sustaining of economic independence of women valorization of innovative abilities of women and consolidation of an economic field with powerful business women as competitive actors reducing of gender pay gap increasing the number of women in the political decision making process, as a direct consequence of increasing the number of women in top position management The National Program for entrepreneurship culture of manager women from small and medium enterprises, an annual program for the period of 2005 – 2011 - the Ministry for Small and Medium Enterprises

10. 1. Elaboration and dissemination of informative materials regarding: the ABC of finance sources for small and medium enterprises public acquisition process and the state aide business strategies – corporative entrepreneurship communication and negotiation in business 2. Informative campeign “ Entrepreneur Women’s Days” 2. Informative campeign “ Entrepreneur Women’s Days” – making - up of workshops in 11 important towns from Romania 3. Implementing of entrepreneurial courses 3. Implementing of entrepreneurial courses of 6 days made in 11 towns for a total of 275 participants Courses are related to: legislation, business plan elaboration, business financing, basic accountancy and cash flow, risk management, financial management, human resources management, e-commerce, business transfer, public procurement, implementing quality standards. 4“The Entrepreneurial Women Forum 4. “The Entrepreneurial Women Forum” which represents an opportunity to promote the best practices in the field of women entrepreneurship at national, international level, business women and top management women, the graduated of entrepreneurial courses since 2005 promotion 4 Components of the program

11. Recommendations Conducting of surveys with a socio-cultural institutional approach in view to identify the specific factors that influence women entrepreneurship as: importance of entrepreneurial self-confidence the presence and the type of female entrepreneurial role models their distinctive entrepreneurial characteristics (motivations, personality traits, experience) features of women’s firms (size, goals and strategy, management, performance) financial constraints or other barriers that women face in the start-up process or development of their businesses the institutional framework and its socio-cultural factors informal institutional factors such as the positive examples that make entrepreneurship a more credible alternative; the social attitudes towards entrepreneurship type of support received by women initiating businesses the relationships that women entrepreneur establish with governmental and non-governmental institutions

12. Drawing a comprehensive analyze of the status of women’s entrepreneurship in every territorial region Assess the policies, programs, and project Identifying the economic, social, and cultural difficulties met by women entrepreneur at local level Dissemination of local and international good practices regarding successful business developed by women Development of a network of experts from different organizations Development of Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training and improving the access of women with all educational background, from urban and also from rural area. It is important to integrate entrepreneurship training in college and university programs, combine with technical programs for women and offer ongoing targeted training programs for women entrepreneurs at various stages of business development (start-up, early development, growth planning and export readiness)

13. develop research on women’s access to commercial credit and how to make it more attractive for Wes allocate targets for WEs in government financing programs and track take-up by WEs in government financing programs mandate financial institutions to do gender disaggregated portfolio data and report annually to government developing women’s enterprise centers in NGOs organizations and universities encouraging WEAs to disseminate business information to both rural and urban members and nonmembers implement a high profile awards program for women entrepreneurs use local media in to profile women entrepreneurs and their enterprises within each region

14. introduce gender disaggregated statistics regarding women’s entrepreneurship in line with worldwide practices. development of entrepreneurial education as part of the curriculum at all education levels define measures to promote business support services (financial and no financial) targeted to the women entrepreneurs profiles bearing in mind that rural women may need special attention. Idem for certain minority women promotion of SMEs engaged in innovation and use of high technology for SMEs with special including women owned enterprises strengthen existing WEAs and address gaps, including in rural areas foster exchanges of best practices and lessons learned and common projects between Turkish NGOs and organizations supporting women entrepreneurs in the EU-27 countries

15. Thank you for your attention