Minister of Energy Sanja Bozhinovska addressed the Women Economic Forum – Balkans 2024 in Skopje on Thursday, highlighting the positive impact women make in society despite persistent challenges such as unequal pay, limited leadership opportunities, and systemic obstacles.

“Despite these challenges, we continue to rise, break barriers, and claim our rightful place in shaping the future,” Minister Bozhinovska declared.

She emphasized that women remain underrepresented in critical decision-making roles, particularly those requiring high levels of competence and responsibility. Bozhinovska also pointed out that women’s workforce participation in the Western Balkans is among the lowest in Europe.

“When I took on the role of Energy Minister, I quickly realized that this, like many other sectors, lacked female representation. But these challenges motivated me. Leadership is not about holding a title—it’s about taking action and responsibility. As women, we must drive change not only for ourselves but for the women who look up to us and believe in a better future. We won’t wait for change; we will create it, we will be the change,” she stated.

The forum in Skopje gathered approximately 300 business leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, researchers, and academics from countries including Portugal, India, Egypt, Turkey, Croatia, Slovenia, and the Western Balkans. It is part of the global Women Economic Forum (WEF) and G100: Mission Million initiative.