Women-Led Business - Africa Freedom of Information Centre

Africa’s Billion-Dollar Opportunity in Inclusive Procurement

Across Africa, a transformative economic opportunity is hiding in plain sight and it’s worth billions. This isn’t aid, charity, or handouts. It’s inclusive procurement. When women-led businesses are funded, trained, and given a fair shot at government contracts, the economic returns are undeniable and massive. What does fair development really look like? At the recent […]

How One Procurement Officer Is Championing Women in Mbarara’s Public Contracts

When Mwiije Dina took over as Principal Procurement Officer for Mbarara City, she brought more than technical expertise; she brought a vision for inclusion. Thanks to Uganda’s 15% reservation policy. Targeted training initiatives. Women entrepreneurs in Mbarara are no longer spectators in public procurement. They are active players, leading businesses, securing government contracts, and reshaping […]

AFIC/PPDA engage media to advocate for inclusive procurement

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 […]

PPDA issues regulations for the reservation scheme for special interest groups

Research study by Africa Freedom of Information centre found that only 1% of women-led businesses participate in public procurement in Uganda. On Thursday, 25th January, The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) launched the PDDA Regulations 2023, marking a crucial stride toward streamlining the public procurement sector. Benson Turamye, the Executive Director […]

AFIC Trains Leaders to Benefit Special Groups in Bukoba District

Africa Freedom of Information Center (AFIC), in collaboration with The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and non-governmental organizations Omuka Hub conducted a capacity building session for leaders of various departments and political parties in Bukoba District with the aim of overseeing the 30 percent of funds provided by the Government to benefit special groups. Various […]

20th Procurement Policy Forum: CSO’s statement

November 23, 2023 Chairperson,Senior Government Officials,Development partnersColleagues CSO leadersLadies and gentlemen;Ladies and Gentlemen; I am pleased to address this 20 th public procurement policy dialogue on behalf of civil society organisations working on transparency, accountability and integrity issues in public procurement in Uganda. CSOs working on transparency, accountability, value for money and inclusiveness in public […]

PPDA solicits input into the draft guidelines for reservation scheme

AFIC in partnership with PPDA conducted a half day workshop to review draft guidelines for special interest groups (Women, Youth and People with Disabilities) participation in public procurement. The meeting was held with PPDA’s Performance Monitoring department and the Legal and Investigations department, other key stakeholders including selected PDEs, CSOs, private sector and Women in […]

WOBs trained on bidding process for public procurement in Uganda

AFIC’s study on Understanding Barriers and solutions to include Women Led Businesses in public procurement in Uganda identified successes, gaps and constraints of women led businesses. This is against the progress made in women’s rights and opportunities, a robust legal frame work for affirmative action yet women entrepreneurs still face significant challenges in participating in […]

Stakeholders discuss ways to include WOBs in Uganda’s Public procurement

Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) conducted a multi stakeholders’ engagement to discuss the findings on the AFIC report and the draft procurement guidelines by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) The meeting was held on the 31st August, […]

OGP GLOBAL SUMMIT 2023: Using the Open Government Partnership to increase women’s participation in Public Procurement

Through the SDG framework, governments committed to advance gender equality. However, halfway to the SDG 2030 target, the foundations to economic are not being tackled. Governments in Africa and around the world spend over 60% of national budgets every year through public procurement yet women-owned businesses take less than 1% of this value due to […]

Empowering Women in Procurement: Rwanda’s Legislative tread for Gender Equality

Africa Freedom of Information Centre together with their Rwandan partners Never Again Rwanda, during their visit to the Forum of women Parliamentarians of Rwanda (FFRP) on Wednesday 26th July, 2023 at their offices, learnt that the Rwandan Parliament had incorporated insights from AFIC’s study on Understanding the barriers and solutions to include women led businesses […]

Ministry of Gender, Labour & Social Development partners with AFIC for gender responsive in Public Procurement

Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) has committed to lead by example in promoting the reservation of special interest groups within the Ministry Procurements. This commitment was made during the Gender and Women Affairs Departmental weekly meeting on the 14th August, 2023 where AFIC was invited to make a presentation from the study […]

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AFIC in Ethiopia: Joint Committee Established to Address Barriers Faced by Women-Led Businesses in Accessing Public Procurement Contracts

In a significant step towards promoting gender equality and inclusivity in public procurement, the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) conducted advocacy activities in Ethiopia from 22nd to 26th May. The engagements that aimed to address the barriers faced by women-led businesses in accessing public procurement contracts in East Africa. One of the major activities […]

Our New Report: Women Businesses left out in Government Procurement in East Africa

We are pleased to share our new report on the barriers and solutions to women’s participation in public procurement in Eastern Africa produced by Africa Freedom of Information Centre with our partners, The Open Contracting Partnership and The Institute for Social Accountability. Gender inequality is a major challenge that concerns everyone, however, without tackling its […]

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