The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, has stated the need for a gender–responsive procurement practice in all public and private organizations, including Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
She stated that contracts awarded to women would benefit the family, society and nation in general than when awarded to men.
Tallen gave the advise in Abuja, during a high level policy dialogue/exhibition to promote the application of gender-responsive procurement practices in public and private organisations.
She noted that procurement institutions, policies and practices are gender-neutral and men-dominated, noting that this has caused gender disparity in dissemination of information and limited financial capital for women to effectively compete favourably with their male counterparts.
She urged women to upgrade their skills, capacity and game in procurement both for government and private sectors in order to make it easier to secure contracts on merit while describing women as catalysts in the growth and development of any country.
“While we are urging MDA’s to consider women for procurements, we also urge women to upgrade their skills, acquire necessary information and comply. We are not urging lowering of standards to favour women because we know women are more than able.
“When a woman is given a procurement contract, it will profit her family, the society and the nation more than when the procurement contract is awarded to a man,” she said.
The minister revealed that efforts are being geared-up by her ministry in synergy with non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, United Nations Agencies, local and international financial organisations and the World Bank to facilitate the application of gender-responsive procurement practices, and prioritising women-owned MSMEs as suppliers of high quality PPEs.
She said businesses owned by women in Nigeria have the potential to expand in scope, diversify supply chain, and grow the economy as well as improve the lives of women and girls in Nigeria and that the ministry recognises the implementation of gender-responsiveness in all endeavors particularly procurement, because it is an avenue for government and private sectors to re-model markets and advance the development of women’s entrepreneurship and create more opportunities for economic empowerment for women in the country.
Minister urges gender–responsive procurement practice
