Our Executive Directress, Dr. Marija Risteska, joined an engaging panel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) event, “Bridging the Gap in Green Finance for Women and Women Entrepreneurs.”
Alongside Melita Nikodinovska, Head of the Governor’s Cabinet at the National Bank of North Macedonia, and Aneta Georgiev, Director of the Branch Network Department at Sparkasse Bank AD Skopje, Dr. Risteska discussed how to enhance women’s participation in the green transition — from improving access to finance to designing gender-responsive climate policies.
“𝘈 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘚𝘖𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳,” – emphasized Dr. Risteska
Key findings from the GEFF Gender Baseline Study revealed:
- Women receive only 24% of green loans and 28% of renovation loans — totaling about €10 million less than men.
- Women pensioners and young women (18–35) remain significantly underrepresented among loan users.
Bridging these gender gaps in finance is not optional — it’s essential for ensuring a just and inclusive green transition that benefits everyone.
