Under the auspices of the Government of Sarajevo Canton and the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton, with the support of the President of the Federation of BiH Lidija Bradara, UN Women in BiH, the Skenderija Center and the Tourist Board of Sarajevo Canton.
From May 29 to 31, 2026, Sarajevo will host the WOMEN 100 regional project, a three-day program that combines a ceremonial award ceremony for female leadership, a regional brand fair and educational content open to all. The project marks the fifteenth anniversary of the platform
“Women in Business” developed by Poslovne novine from Sarajevo.
On the first day, May 29, WOMEN 100 Impact Night will be held in the Youth Center, a ceremonial awarding of fifteen awards to companies and individuals who contribute to the development of female leadership with their influence, with networking of more than 200 directors and owners of companies from the region. On the second and third day,
- and on May 31, the WOMEN 100 Shop & Show fair will open in the “Mirza Delibašić” hall, and the entrance will be free for visitors.
Poslovne novine: Fifteen years of women’s business
Slađana Kuckovićexecutive director of Poslovni novini, pointed out:
“Fifteen years ago, we started with a simple idea, that women who build businesses in this country deserve visibility, a voice and a community. Today, with WOMEN 100, that idea takes its most complete form. Impact Night brings much more than just the awards protocol itself. It is a space where concrete collaborations are born, and the fifteen IMPACT awards that evening will be a recognition of women who shape a new business reality in the region. In addition to all that, there will be a lot of laughter and good company. We will round off the evening with the performance of one of the ladies whose career in itself is a story of female perseverance and talent. We will announce the name soon.”
Fair program: 100 exhibitors, 500 brands, thousands of visitors
Alena Ahmetspahić-Fočodirector of projects at Poslovni novine, presented the program of the fair part:
“Companies from the entire region, more than 100 exhibitors and 500 brands, will be presented, and we expect thousands of visitors. Our goal is that each exhibitor leaves the event with concrete contacts and business opportunities. We also launched the digital platform women100.ba with a catalog of exhibitors available 365 days a year. During the two days of the fair, free workshops and panel discussions were organized on the topics of health, beauty, education, parenting, and financial literacy. and entrepreneurship.”
Sarajevo Canton Government: Women’s leadership as a driver of development
Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton Government Nihad Uk he pointed out at the press conference:
“Equal participation of women in the business community and decision-making processes is the main driving force behind the development of our canton. Although women make up 60% of the highly educated population, the gender gap in the labor market of 27.7% clearly points to barriers that have been slowing down this potential for decades. Our response to these challenges is concrete measures, from eliminating waiting lists in kindergartens and expanding subsidies, to strengthening the health system and greater representation of women in institutions. By removing barriers that have slowed down the professional development of women, we are building a fairer and more competitive market. Our priority remains. a system of public services that directly supports the economic security and professional dignity of every woman.”
KS Ministry of Economy: 6.7 million KM and 245 supported entrepreneurs
Minister of Economy of Sarajevo Canton Zlatko Mijatović he presented the concrete results of the four-year program:
“In the period from 2022 to 2026, the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton supported 245 entities of small businesses whose majority founders are women. When we talk about the total programs of the Ministry, 457 entities were supported in which women are the majority owners or responsible persons, out of a total of 1,083 entities supported. About 6.7 million KM was set aside for these purposes. These data do not only speak about numbers, but also about the growth of trust. in institutions and the fact that women increasingly recognize entrepreneurship as a realistic and sustainable business opportunity.”
Minister Mijatović additionally emphasized that the largest number of supported subjects, 89 of them, come from the service sector, which confirms that women recognize market niches that are flexible and adaptable to modern economic trends. Through the Center for Entrepreneurship Development of the Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton, and through cooperation with the Center for Advanced Technologies, this approach is further developed through mentorship, education and connection with the market.
“Supporting projects like WOMEN 100 represents a logical continuation of a clearly set policy, because it is a platform that opens up space for women for visibility, networking and concrete business results, and additionally strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Sarajevo Canton and beyond. Our goal is clear, that female entrepreneurship is not the exception, but the rule, and that it becomes one of the key drivers of the economic development of Sarajevo Canton.”
UN Women BiH: New category for gender-responsive leadership
The international dimension of the project is given by the partnership with UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will award three awards during the WOMEN 100 Impact Night in the new category “Award for gender-responsive leadership”. On the occasion of the partnership, Jo-Anne Bishopthe representative of UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, sent the following message:
“UN Women is proud to partner with the WOMEN 100 Shop & Show Expo, recognizing the key role of the private sector in advancing gender equality and inclusive business practices. This year, we were pleased to support the introduction of the new ‘Gender Responsive Leadership Award’ category within the Women 100 Impact Awards. This award recognizes companies that lead by example and inspire others to create fairer and more inclusive work environments.”
KS Tourist Board: Sarajevo as a congress tourism destination
The arrival of a large number of entrepreneurs and business leaders from the region further positions Sarajevo as a regional center for business meetings and congress tourism. The importance of this aspect was also pointed out Haris Fazlagicpresident of the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board:
“We see the WOMEN 100 Expo as an important event that further strengthens the position of Sarajevo as an ideal destination for the development of congress tourism and international business meetings, especially in the segment of events that bring together relevant actors from various creative industries. We are especially glad that the focus is on women in tourism and related sectors, and an inclusive approach that contributes to the modern and sustainable development of the destination is promoted. It is events like this that bring new energy and create concrete opportunities for connection, development and new business stories.”
Invitation to exhibitors and visitors
The capacity of the fair is limited to 100 exhibitors, and interest from the region is already intense. Exhibitor applications and additional information are available at: www.women100.ba.
Visitors are invited to be part of an event that brings more than a fair, experience, knowledge and inspiration in one place on May 30 and 31 in the “Mirza Delibašić” hall in the Skenderija Center.
The organizers would like to thank the Government of the Canton of Sarajevo, the Ministry of Economy of the Canton of Sarajevo, the Skenderija Center, the President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lidija Bradara, UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Tourist Board of the Canton of Sarajevo for their support.
