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Strengthening the Role of Women in the Circular Economy
Belgrade, March 6, 2025 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection have announced that, with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a new public call will be launched on International Women's Day to strengthen the role of women entrepreneurs in the circular economy. Women-led businesses, start-ups, farm households, co-operatives and social enterprises are invited to submit innovative solutions and business models that promote the principles and values of the circular economy in practise.
Sandra Dokić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, explained that supporting women entrepreneurs through this public call will help achieve the goals set out in the National Circular Economy Programme.
“The transition to a circular economy is particularly important in order to increase the recycling rate of waste in Serbia, make industrial production more environmentally friendly, reduce pollution and harmful gas emissions and decarbonise the Serbian economy”, Dokić added.
The top 10 ideas submitted in this public call will receive “Circular prize” worth up to $20,000 each in the form of support for innovators to implement their ideas in their organisations.
Sandra Dokić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection i Miroslav Tadić, UNDP Climate Change and Environment Programme Analyst
Photo: Jelena Babić
Miroslav Tadić, UNDP Climate Change and Environment Programme Analyst, emphasised how important it is to enable the equal participation of women in the green transition through various support models.
“The circular economy not only brings economic benefits, but also contributes to the conservation of natural resources and the reduction of pollution. Over the past three years, UNDP, with the support of international donors totalling $2.5 million, has supported the implementation of 80 circular innovations with a total investment value of almost $20 million. Together with our partners, we will continue to accelerate the green transition”, stated Tadić.
Eligible applicants include: Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises – limited liability companies in which women are owners or hold at least 51% of the shares, women-led businesses, co-operatives with at least two-thirds female members, registered agricultural households run by women, start-ups founded by women that develop innovative solutions for the circular economy, and all forms of social enterprises in which women hold at least two-thirds of the shares or two-thirds of the women are in management positions.
The deadline for the submission of applications is May 9, 2025. More information on how to apply and the conditions of the open call can be found here: https://www.cirkularnezajednice.rs/en/calls/.
To ensure that interested innovators are well informed about the public call, an event was organised with female entrepreneurs. During the event, circular solutions already developed and successfully implemented by women and supported by previous UNDP public calls were presented. These included: soap made from used cooking oil and paper made from used cigarette packaging, as well as biodegradable cosmetics produced using “green technologies”.
The event was organised as part of the project “Reducing the carbon footprint of local communities by applying the principles of the circular economy in the Republic of Serbia - Circular Communities”, implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and with the financial support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
