EU and UNDP continue policy discourse on social entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan

‘Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem - Successes and Challenges’ was the focus of the webinars organized by the EU-funded ‘Developing innovation-driven and sustainable civil society in Azerbaijan’ project. The webinars were held as part of the project’s series of policy debates around social entrepreneurship ecosystem and brought together around 50 people including social entrepreneurs, experts, civil society organisations, government representatives and other ecosystem players.

The webinars involved social entrepreneurs operating diverse businesses ranging from those employing rural women and people with disabilities, supporting the elderly, children without parental care, and widows to those working in education, agrotourism, environmental services and fund raising for social purposes. The participants explored the role of the social enterprises in the development of the country and the value they can add to the country’s economy, environment, and culture. The participants shared challenges and stories of successful social businesses and identified key opportunities for advancing the ecosystem in Azerbaijan.

The next round of workshops on social entrepreneurship is scheduled for mid-April and they will focus on creating solutions to the existing challenges and maximizing opportunities for social business development including through policy changes.