The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic officially launched the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code on July 4, 2025. The initiative, developed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, aims to expand women’s access to finance and strengthen their role in the economy.
Chairman of the National Bank Melis Turgunbaev emphasised the macroeconomic importance of the move, noting that women-led small and medium businesses contribute significantly to GDP.
Key changes include simplified access to unsecured loans and reduced reserve requirements for financial institutions issuing loans under women-focused programmes. Ten financial institutions have already joined the initiative, including banks, microfinance organisations and the Guarantee Fund.
The National Bank will coordinate implementation and monitor progress, with a focus on collecting gender-disaggregated data to support future regulatory decisions.
