Invest in women, invest in the future.
Break down the barriers to gender inclusiveness in procurement
Public procurement is a process by which the government acquires goods and services for use in the public sector. It is often a large and important process, and it is crucial that it be as inclusive as possible. Unfortunately, women are often left out of this process, despite the fact that they can offer valuable insight and contributions.
Women business ownership in Uganda stands at 33.8 per cent according to the 2018 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs. The study placed Uganda in the third place globally. Ghana came first at 46.4 per cent. The report defines women business ownership as “the percentage of businesses with majority female ownership.” In Uganda, women are starting and owning businesses at a faster rate than men, ranking the country third in the world for women’s entrepreneurship. Despite this fact, women do not receive as many government contracts as men.
A recent study by the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) has shown that only 2.5 per cent of the national budget goes to women-led businesses. This is a startling statistic, particularly in a country like Uganda where women make up such a large proportion of the population. The lack of investment in women-led businesses is not only bad for the businesses themselves, but it also has a negative impact on the Ugandan economy as a whole.
Studies have shown that when women are given access to capital and financial resources, they are more likely to reinvest their earnings back into their families and communities. This, in turn, leads to economic growth and development.
COVID-19 did not help matters
The COVID-19 pandemic has not made matters any better. In fact, it has exacerbated the problems that women face when trying to participate in public procurement. The pandemic has caused a decrease in the demand for goods and services, which has led to a decrease in the amount of public procurement taking place. This has had a negative impact on women who are already struggling to participate in this process.
According to the 2021 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, 90% of women who lost their jobs during COVID-19 did not return to work, 64% of women-led firms have been severely impacted by the epidemic, and 80% of women-owned businesses with credit needs are either unserved or underserved.
When a business is unserved this means that the business does not have access to the financial products and services that it needs in order to survive. This includes things like loans, credit, and insurance. Underserved businesses have access to some of these products but not all of them. This can make it very difficult for a business to recover from an economic shock like COVID-19.
Constraints to women participation in public procurement
There are a number of constraints that women face when trying to participate in public procurement. These include:
- Lack of access to information: Women often lack the same access to information as men. This can make it difficult for them to find out about opportunities, prepare bids, and understand the process.
- Lack of capital: Women are often excluded from the formal financial system. This means that they have less access to capital, which can make it difficult for them to participate in public procurement.
- Lack of networks: Women often lack the same networks as men. This can make it difficult for them to find mentors, get advice, and meet potential partners.
- Gender discrimination: Women often face discrimination when trying to participate in public procurement. This can take the form of outright bias or subtle forms of discrimination that make it harder for women to succeed.
Overcoming these constraints
Despite the challenges, there are a number of ways that women can overcome the constraints that they face when trying to participate in public procurement.
- Access to information: Women can overcome the lack of access to information by using technology. There are a number of online platforms that can help women find out about opportunities, prepare bids, and understand the process.
- Access to capital: Women can overcome the lack of access to capital by forming partnerships with other businesses or organisations. This can help them pool resources and access the capital that they need to participate in public procurement.
- Access to networks: Women can overcome the lack of access to networks by joining organisations or associations. This can help them meet potential mentors, get advice, and find potential partners.
- Gender discrimination: Women can overcome discrimination by raising awareness about the issue and working to change the system. This can be done through advocacy, networking, and capacity building.
Conclusion
In conclusion, women face a number of challenges when trying to participate in public procurement. These challenges can be overcome by taking advantage of technology, forming partnerships, and joining organisations or associations. Raising awareness about the issue and working to change the system is also important. Public procurement is an important tool for economic growth and development and it is essential that women are able to participate in this process.
References:
- https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/consumers/features/women-entrepreneurs-covid-19.html
- https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/Empowering-women-through-public-procurement-and-enabling-inclusive-growth-en.pdfhttps://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2019/towards- gender-responsive-public-procurement_en.pdf?la=en&vs=637
- https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/Empowering-women-through-public-procurement-and-enabling-inclusive-growth-en.pdf
- https://www.ppda.go.ug/download/FINAL-UN-WOMEN-POLICY-BRIEF-min.pdf
- https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2019/towards- gender-responsive-public-procure
