Focus Group on Empowering Women Entrepreneurs at the Local Level

27 October 2025

Project: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Successfully Bid in Public Tendering for Local Government Units

Context

The Albanian Institute of Science (AIS) is implementing a project supported by the Embassy of Canada, aiming to empower women entrepreneurs to participate successfully in public tenders at the local government level. As part of this project, a Focus Group was organized with institutions, organizations, and chambers of commerce that support businesses and gender empowerment, particularly in the regions of Gjirokastër and Shkodër.
The purpose of the Focus Group was to identify programs and models that can be introduced to women entrepreneurs during the upcoming training sessions scheduled for November–December 2025. Invitations were sent to 18 organizations.

Key Discussion Points

• AIS introduced the project’s objectives and provided an overview of women’s entrepreneurship at the local level.
• Representatives from UN Women and national experts highlighted that the Law on Local Self-Government includes a six-month tax relief for women entrepreneurs; however, this information often does not reach the intended beneficiaries. According to INSTAT, women own approximately 30% of businesses, with higher rates at the local level.
• ALCDF emphasized that rural women have limited access to information. Although grant schemes have supported women’s enterprises, municipalities often fail to convey information effectively to target groups.
• Good practices from Kosovo were presented regarding gender-responsive procurement, while Albania still lacks gender-sensitive criteria in its Public Procurement Law.
• Regarding social enterprises, it was noted that current legislation does not sufficiently support women in business, as it requires entities to be registered as non-profit organizations.
• The Municipality of Tirana shared its positive practices: grant schemes, business support programs, fairs, and a database of women-led businesses. Many women entrepreneurs benefit even when operating informally, as participation in fairs helps exposure and eventual formalization.
• Participants emphasized the need for a unified national database on women’s entrepreneurship.
• Organizations such as GADC and AWEN highlighted the need for dedicated market spaces for women producers and discussed challenges related to formalization, access to credit, and market linkages.
• Several promising sectors were identified for women entrepreneurs, including school facility hygiene, event services, handicrafts, food production, and medicinal plants.
• The Ministry of Agriculture presented its programs for women farmers, including national support schemes, training programs, and the ongoing three-year project for empowering rural women in Northern Albania.
• A proposal was made to distribute simple digital tablets to women farmers to improve access to information on grants, tenders, and application deadlines.
• The Social Fund and employment promotion schemes were also discussed as potential mechanisms for supporting women and girls at the local level.

AIS Focus Group Report

List of Participants

Conclusions

1. Women’s entrepreneurship at the local level remains insufficiently documented; many businesses operate informally.
2. Municipalities have legal opportunities to support women through fiscal incentives, but they often lack sufficient capacities and financial resources.
3. A more proactive municipal approach is needed through grants, fairs, and best-practice models such as those of the Municipality of Tirana, which has adopted manuals and guidelines approved by the Municipal Council.
4. Stronger cooperation between municipalities and civil society is essential to improve information flow and coordinate initiatives supporting women’s entrepreneurship.
5. Municipalities should adopt gender-responsive procurement practices.
6. Information channels need substantial improvement-for example, through simple digital devices enabling women entrepreneurs to access updates on grants and procurement opportunities.
7. Women entrepreneurs should be supported with professional training in financial management, digital marketing, and service sectors where they have clear growth potential.

This project aims to enhance the methodology for quantitatively identifying both unfair reporting and the underrepresentation of women-led businesses in public procurement. In addition, it seeks to raise awareness about these issues, highlighting the participation gap of women in the public tendering sector and promoting more equitable opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

“Funded by the Government of Canada”

• #CFLI
• #CanadainAlbania
• #Empoweringwomen
• #OpenProcurementAlbania