On March 3, 2023 Ipak Yuli Bank within the framework of Central Asia Women in Business Initiatives Support Program (CAWiB) conducted the first full-scale workshop "Tadbirkor ayol" focused on support and development of women in business. The participants of this event were entrepreneurs, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with technical support of consultants, consulting company IPC and Sparkassenstiftung, as well as consulting company "Paper Planes".

The Seminar was opened by Mr. M.A. Safarov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Ipak Yuli JSCIB, who made a welcoming speech and congratulated women with the forthcoming holiday. Mr. Alkis Drakinos, Head of the EBRD Office in Uzbekistan, briefly spoke about the EBRD's mission in Uzbekistan and shared his priorities in this development.

Nazira Dadakhanova, Senior Analyst of the EBRD's Small Business Advisory Programme in Uzbekistan, made a presentation on "EBRD Small Business Advisory", in which she highlighted how the EBRD could support and promote small business development. Moreover, the EBRD shared 3 priority areas for the development of women entrepreneurs, such as

- Increasing access to finance and supporting women entrepreneurs

- Increasing the personnel and improving the skills of women entrepreneurs

- Improving access to infrastructure development services.

All these points are also included in the EBRD's strategy for promoting gender equality for 2021-2025.

Matthias Wangler, the long term expert and representative of the Sparkassenstiftung (Germany) also made a speech - at the end of the event, the representative of the foundation presented certificates of successful completion of financial literacy trainings, giving the opportunity to the Bank's staff and clients.

Then the presentation was delivered by Nodiya Kulieva, Programme Coordinator of the EBRD's Women in Business Programme in Central Asia, Leading Specialist of Corporate Lending Unit of Ipak Yuli JSCIB lending department. The Programme Coordinator shared opportunities provided by the Bank for women entrepreneurs, including provision of financial and non-financial services aimed at support and development of women in business.

Alina Belyakova, digital project manager of Paper Planes Consulting Agency, also gave a master class. 

At the end of the event, all participants were presented with gifts from Bank Ipak Yuli.