Public procurement and women’s economic empowerment in East Africa : challenges and opportunities
Date
2020
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Abstract
As public procurement often involves large sums of money, many countries use their procurement spend to achieve varied policy goals beyond the purchase of the required goods and services. These policy goals include matters like the economic advancement of minorities or disadvantaged groups, or the promotion of fair labour practices and climate action. In recent times, countries have begun using procurement systems to advance gender equality. This is referred to as gender-responsive procurement and is defined by UN Women as the selection of services, goods and civil works that considers their impact on gender equality and women’s empowerment (UN Women, 2022). The OECD describes it as the introduction of gender requirements and considerations into public procurement policies and practices (OECD, 2021a), whilst the European Institute for Gender Equality defines it as “procurement that promotes gender equality through the purchase of works, supplies or services by public sector bodies. This means that buyers and suppliers look at the impact of all the contracted activities related to women’s and men’s interests and concerns and design and deliver contracts in a way that reduces gender inequalities” (European Institute for Gender Equality, 2022).
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Synthesis Report
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Keywords
GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT, GENDER-RESPONSIVE PROCUREMENT, GENDER EQUALITY, ETHIOPIA, KENYA, RWANDA, TANZANIA, UGANDA, SOUTH OF SAHARA