"Even though the number of women in business is on the increase, there is still a long way to go," the director of the Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) Davor Majetic said.
He added that this was an important aspect for Croatia's competitiveness because, as he said, data indicates that companies where women are equally represented with men, are more successful.
Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Croatia, Vedrana Jelusic Kasic underscored that it was important to utilise available resources in business and that there was nothing more valuable than human capital.
Men are more active in business in Croatia and for every business project by a woman there are 2.24 launched by men whereas in the European Union that ratio is 1.86.
"Women make up 50 per cent of the population and make major decisions regarding consumption and it would be a shame not to exploit that potential," she said.
SME Minister Gordan Maras said that the government had recognised the importance of strengthening the role of women in the economy and took heed of this in its business development strategy for the period 2014 - 2020.
He added that a third of government subsidies last year were granted to women entrepreneurs and that every second application submitted by a woman was approved.
Apart from that, he added, fewer jobs were lost where women ran companies. "The number of the employed with women entrepreneurs compared to the pre-crisis period rose 14 per cent, while businesses run by men now have fewer workers," he claimed.
The conference was held to mark International Women's Day, observed on 8 March.