A research conducted by the African Freedom of Information Centre(AFIC) from five East African countries has shown that only 1% of the women-led businesses are contracted by governments.
The research findings shows that in Kenya, Uganda Tanzania, Ethiopia and Rwanda where the study was conducted, women-led businesses have participated less in public procurement processes due to a number of factors, which include restricted access to funding, a lack of information and understanding about procurement processes, and discrimination and bias towards women in the procurement sector.
The study finds among others that whereas governments spend nearly 60% of their national budget every year, women-led businesses take less than 1% of the contracts and this low participation rate is due to very many factors, sexual orientation in particular.
Speaking to journalists during the media round table at Golf course Hotel aimed at finding ways on how the media can directly get involved in women led inclusion in procurement, the Executive Director AFIC, Gilbert Sendugwa said that they have found out that lack of information and understanding about procurement processes and discrimination are the major cause of less participation of women led businesses in procurement sector.
"There was lack of awareness for both policy makers, policy implementers and those who are supposed to benefit from these policies were not aware. Lack of information where by advertising tender opportunities and where were advertised was not accessible for women groups," Sendugwa noted.
Quoting the research, Sendugwa said in Uganda, 44.7% of the few who are participating in public contraction are based in Kampala and Wakiso districts while the rest of the 146 districts share 30% among other things.
"We hope that with this information that you have, you are going to pick interest in this matter and shine light on these gaps, monitor in each of the agencies, district, national level to ensure that there's fairness in the distribution of the national cake," he urged journalists.
Sendugwa also singled out a challenge of corruption where women were asked to pay to get paid for what they have supplied.
According to the AFIC Executive Director, the study also found out that most women have been asked to give in sex in order to get contracts.
"These were significant barriers that we have found and we hope with this study as government has started implementing by removing the barriers on the policy side by putting affirmative action preserving quarters of contracts, we hope government agencies are going to be more intentional in addressing these barriers and implementing policies such that women-led business can effectively participate."
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Olive Kabatwairwe, a researcher who did the Uganda report revealed that she found out that out of the 44% of the registered women-led businesses, the biggest number of these is informal and only 13.8% engage in formal employment.
Kabatwairwe also reported to the media that most women in Uganda are not able to interpret and prepare bankable bids.
"Because the bidding documents are written in English, women have to pay an exorbitant fee to lawyers to help them understand and prepare the bidding documents to meet compliance requirements and when they fail to raise such costs, they tend to fall out of the procurement processes."
The research proposed addressing discrimination and bias against women especially in the procurement sector through awareness-raising and advocacy efforts.
These efforts include promoting gender equality, addressing the underlying attitudes and biases that prevent women from participating in the procurement sector.
