[Blic] Violeta Jovanović, Executive Director of NALED: Women are not just participants in development, but its drivers
For more than 25 years, Violeta Jovanović has been dedicated to issues of local development and gender equality, designing, advocating for, and implementing numerous development projects.
Violeta Jovanović has been at the helm of NALED since its founding, and this year the organization celebrates two decades of successful work. In addition, she serves as the president of the Ethno Network association, which focuses on preserving Serbia’s cultural heritage and the economic empowerment of women.
When it comes to the state of gender equality in Serbia, she notes that visible progress has been made, but emphasizes that full gender equality is a process that requires continuous attention.
“When women have equal opportunities for education, employment, and participation in decision-making, local communities and the economy become stronger and more successful. Responsible gender policy is a matter of public interest and a prerequisite for economic and social development,” she pointed out.
Over the past year, NALED has launched numerous projects focused precisely on empowering women. For example, 2025 was declared the Year of Equality at NALED, with the goal of integrating a gender perspective into all of its reforms and projects.
“This year we plan to further present these results and mark them with concrete recommendations in our Grey Book. Through the project ‘Strong and Important,’ supported by the British Embassy, we are working to promote women who drive development in their communities, while also providing direct support to women entrepreneurs,” Violeta revealed.
She says that five grants of £10,000 each were awarded to businesses led by women, accompanied by mentorship and training to help them improve and expand their operations. They also established a Council for Small Businesses, which works on removing administrative and legal barriers faced by small entrepreneurs, among whom, Jovanović emphasizes, women are significantly represented.
“The goal of the ‘Strong and Important’ project is to show that women are not just participants in development, but its drivers. ‘Strong and Important’ highlights their achievements while also opening space for discussions about the challenges they face—from access to finance to social stereotypes. We want to create an environment where women’s entrepreneurship and leadership are encouraged and valued,” Jovanović noted.
The Executive Director of NALED believes that economic empowerment remains a key challenge women face at the local level today. She observes that many women lack sufficient information about available support programs and do not have access to networks that are important for business development.
“In smaller communities, traditional patterns are still present, limiting their visibility and participation in decision-making. That is why it is important to systematically work on removing stereotypes and barriers,” she said.
NALED strives to contribute in numerous ways to creating a more supportive environment for women.
“Through cooperation between the public and private sectors, NALED works to improve regulations, administrative procedures, and public policies that affect the business environment. Our goal is for it to be equally accessible to everyone. When we create more efficient and transparent systems, we also create space for greater inclusion of women in the economy,” she believes.
Finally, on the occasion of March 8, Violeta Jovanović, Executive Director of NALED, sent a special message to women in Serbia.
“Let us believe in ourselves and not wait for permission to claim the rights that belong to us. Let us be supportive and connected through networks of solidarity, because when we join forces and empower one another, we change not only our own lives but entire communities,” she said, concluding:
“Equality is not only a matter of justice, but also a way of life. Only societies in which women realize their full potential truly progress and become better for all their citizens.”
Source: Blic
