Today, every woman living in the village, who cultivates a land, receives yield and sells or bakes bread, milks a cow, sells the milk, is a potential business. Such an opinion is arrived at the “Republican Union of Employers of Armenia”, which conducted a survey women’s entrepreneurship in Armenia.
It is not accidental that these village women have acquired the skills of a “businesswoman”, very often the husbands of these women leaving for the country for job, it happens that they do not sent money home for months, so the village women have to become the manufacturer and the trader.
During the survey, the women stated that it would be better if such women get help, and that some mechanisms are provided to promote them as entrepreneurs.
Recently, the “Republican Union of Employers of Armenia” conducted an extensive research in the field of women’s entrepreneurship and found that compared to 2009, the bumber of business women has grown, if in 2009, 720 women had their own businesses, and 5,000 women were working as a manager, now number of women having their own business has grown by 4, and the number of women managers has grown by 2.
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In the conversation with “Aravot”, Chairman of the Union Gagik Makaryan said that still the study conducted 4 years ago found out that often the women, when they wanted to start a business and get a loan, the couple did not want to pledge the house or property and thus they had restricted the women’s opportunities. “As per our mentality, the woman getting married goes to her husband’s house, and the property belongs to the husband or his parents, so the woman could not solve the issue of the pledge independently.” Now the number of having a big share in business has increased. There are a lot of women in business owning more than 60% of share of the property, and this percent as Mr. Makaryan said is a decisive share.
As presented by the Chairman of the Union, women in Armenia are mostly engaged in horticulture, processing of agricultural products, sweets manufacturing, tourism and cultural programs, bookstore-cafes, and medical and design spheres, and in recently, in information technology.
These women are mainly engaged in small and medium business.
As presented by Mr. Makaryan, it was mentioned in the survey as to what priority problems women entrepreneurs noticed that effect their business, in response, the women have first of all stated the country’s socio-economic situation, decline in purchasing capacity, decrease in consumers due to migration. The women respondent, as per Mr. Makaryan, pointed out imperfections in the legal system and tax burden. “In addition, the enterprising women also stated the problem of the personnel from the vocational education sector, the gap between the village and the city, especially it is distinctly left in the regions, and the psychological condition. The business women of the marz are seriously concerned about arbitrariness and strictness of inspection bodies.”
The fact that the woman in the village is engaged in business, by the results of the survey, is a courage, there is a risk to be disgraced. For example, the village women entrepreneurs have said that the neighbors are displaying a critical approach to this type of women.
The priority issues that the the business women have singled out in agriculture is the lack of insurance, which hinders the development of the industry. Other problem that obstacle the development of this industry is also increase of water fee and “heavy” loans, as well as the respondents recommended to establish an export mechanism in a centralized way to facilitate the concern of those engaged in agricultural production. In general, women are more pure, honest and duteous in their businesses,- such opinion was expressed by the Chairman of the “Republican Union of Employers of Armenia”. According to him, in the place where the head is a woman, the corruption is less, women are more educated, they do not work in the shadows and are not trying to hide something. According to Mr. Makaryan, one of the objectives of their survey how to promote the work and involvement of women entrepreneurs in the economy, and although the government is exercising a policy of gender equality and is trying to increase the number of women in different sectors, however, some legislative amendments are also needed. For example, as presented by Mr. Makaryan, there are countries where women entrepreneurs are granted tax and credit privileges.
To the question of “Aravot” when asked if women entrepreneurs in the country are granted such privileges, whether there is no concern that in this case the Armenian man will “use” the wife, for example, to get a cheap loan with the help of the wife, or register the business in the name of the wife to get tax privileges. “It is possible, that for a certain period of a time it may be so, but it will not last long. Our country and our organization is actively cooperating with the international labor organization, although it has not yet been confirmed, there is a standard by which a woman entrepreneur is not the person who founds the business, but the person who runs the business. And in addition, women gradually displays the qualities of a leader, and they like to be entrepreneurs. Women love to primp, dress up, care about themselves, and these require expenses, besides the manner of thinking is changed, and having own money contributes that the wife stays in business, and I think women will not give in their positions.”
To our questions as to when such privileges are granted to woman, whether businessmen would be approach with jealousy, and envy arguing that unequal conditions are created, Mr. Makaryan answered,- “No, it is not likely that such a thing may happen, and then these privileges are going to be temporary, in addition, there is the concept of gender equality. In general, inequality is greater, now we need to promote women’s entrepreneurship, women’s literacy, and we must take the opportunity.”
Mr. Makaryan presented some interesting information from their surveys, for example, the women who work in public institutions, it is easier for them to work in the business because they are well aware of procedures of documentation, they understand the laws very well. It also found from the survey that in contrast to women of other age, 50-55 years old women are trying more to set up a business, as, according to Mr. Makaryan words, women at this age are integrated in the labor market with difficulty. “It’s the age that many employers are reluctant to hire them. Such women, even if they have not managed to start a business, you have thought about it.”
Nelly BABAYAN
