In South Africa, UN Women is leveraging technology to connect buyers of good and services with women suppliers.
By Africa Press Release
For Sawya
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day calls for the inclusion of women in technology and innovation and to ensure that technological progress promotes gender equality. In South Africa, UN Women is leveraging technology to connect buyers of good and services with women suppliers. “Buy from women! That is our appeal to those who hold the procurement purse in public and private institutions,” says Ayanda Mvimbi, Programmes Specialist at UN Women’s South Africa Multi-Country Office. Buy From Women is also the name of the online platform that in its current phase has reached over 6,000 women entrepreneurs in several industries across the nine South African provinces.
The platform is not just database of women suppliers but also provides a learning portal that is constantly developing, covering topics including branding, marketing, preparing for a tender bid, creating a business continuity plan, creating a business plan, understanding, and handling finances, legal aspects, and audit.
Globally, the World Bank reports that of the $11 trillion spent annually on public procurement, only 1 per cent is awarded to women-owned businesses. In South Africa, where government spends close to $94 billion a year on goods, services, and construction. Only up to 6 per cent of this amount goes to women-owned businesses. Women in the country own up to a third of businesses.
The African Union Agenda 2063 calls for this allocation to be at least 25 per cent. Through the Generation Equality Forum, South Africa not only advocated for preferential procurement for women but went on to commit to implementing a 40per cent public procurement policy for women-owned businesses. In his February 2023 State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa reiterated this commitment.
