Chapter 1 – Public procurement, a tool to shape societies
The report also warns of the consequences of keeping barriers to women in place. ‘When women’s labour is underused or misallocated – because they face discrimination in markets or societal institutions that prevents them from completing their education, entering certain occupations, and earning the same incomes as men – economic losses are the result.’ Gender equality and empowering women are critical to achieving many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include poverty reduction, universal primary education, reduced child mortality, improved maternal health and reduced spread of HIV/AIDS. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, recently reaffirmed the linkages between inclusive policies and development. ‘Inclusive economic growth with decent employment and decent wages has proven to be a prerequisite for achieving the MDGs, particularly on Goal 1, on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger’ (UNGA, 2013). Inclusive growth is set to become one of the main pillars of the Post-2015 Development Agenda (United Nations, 2013).
Policies must be gender sensitive To harness the potential of women-owned businesses, procurement policies must be gender sensitive. Businesses owned by women and those owned by men are not the same (Kepler and Shane, 2002; National Women’s Business Council, 2009; World Bank, 2012). Women-owned businesses:
Tend to be smaller; Are often less experienced; Have less access to human, financial and social capital; Tend to be in less-profitable sectors, such as retail sales and services; Have owners who tend to have more family and care responsibilities.
Gender-neutral laws do not create a neutral playing field. Women entrepreneurs face unique challenges as a result of past and current discriminatory practices and attitudes. Because women-owned businesses are dissimilar, it is important to consider the disparate impact of seemingly gender-neutral rules, policies and programmes.
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Empowering women through public PROCUREMENT