As part of the advocacy campaign for inclusion of women owned businesses in public procurement, Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in collaboration with The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) have engaged the media through traditional and digital media.
Since 2023 October, AFIC and PPDA have been implementing a project funded by Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) termed as #LIFT Project aimed at increasing women’s participation in public procurement.
PPDA and the AFIC were selected as part of the Lift Program by open contracting partnership under the shared theme of leveraging Open Contracting to advance social inclusion, particularly to enhance women’s participation in public procurement in Uganda.
This project follows a research conducted by AFIC across five countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia in 2021/2022 that discovered that only 1% of women-led businesses participate and win contracts.
As part of the lift project; there has been as assesment carried out in four select entities to determine the participation of women and strategise clear interventions to enhance participation. Find here details of the findings.
There is an ongoing training of women-led businesses across the four entities, so far 70 women have been trained in Mbarara and over 150 women have trained in Kamapal. Read more on the project.
To enhance advocacy for women inclusion; AFIC and PPDA have extended the campaign to media which has influenced women’s participation in the ongoing trainings and craeted awareness on the reservation scheme which has encouraged more women to pick interest in participating in procurement.
“I had you about the program on radio west last night and I picked interest. I am mostly interested in learning about public procurement because I have never participated. I would love to also know how I can particiapate as woman enterprenuer.” Miss Joy Koburaba, business owner in Mbarara Central Market during the capacity building session in Mbarara on 25th, April 2024.
On 15th, April, 2024, AFIC and PPDA appeared on UBC radio talk show where they created awareness on the new guidelines and regulations for the reservation scheme for women and other special interest groups.
On 8th, April, AFIC ED; Mr. Gilbert Sendugwa and PPDA ED, Mr Benson Tumuramye appeared on Radio one explaining how women can leverage the new reservation scheme and guidelines to participate in public procurement and enhance their economic growth.
While on 25th April 2024; together with the regional manager for Mbarara City;; Madam Lydia Kwesiga, the communications and advocacy lead at AFIC; Gaaba Lakel Maria, appeared on Radio West mbarara to encourage women to participate in public procurement as well as create awareness on the Lift project.
The project aimes to increase women’s participation by atleast 5% from 1% across participating entities.
