RCE Ogun - 2021

Women Inclusion in Public Procurement (W4PP
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Women Inclusion in Public Procurement (W4PP
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Ogun
Contributing organization(s) : 
OTA Economic Summit Group (OESG)
Ota Agbara Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OTAGCCIMA)
Format of project: 
Power Point
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Friday, October 15, 2021
Web link: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14-5zqsrp1MsibIp28UuAYOA_COWpXbZd/view?usp=sharing
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
National Gender Policy- Federal Republic of Nigeria
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Country: 
Nigeria
Location(s): 
Ado-Odo Local government Area, Ota, Ogun State
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Ado-Odo Local government Area, Ota, Ogun State
Ecosystem(s):
Agricultural, Grassland
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
RCE Ogun is situated in Ogun State. Ogun State is one of the 36 States in Nigeria, presently located within the South-West geopolitical zone. The neighbouring States include Lagos State (to the South), Oyo and Osun States (to the North), Ondo State (to the East), and the Republic of Benin (to the West). Ogun State has a population of 3,728,098 inhabitants. It has a rich deposit of mineral resources such as limestone, granite, glass sand, and kaolin. Presently, Ogun has the highest concentration of manufacturing companies including two of Africa’s largest cement factories: Lafarge Cement and Dangote Cement. Ogun State also has the highest number of universities in Nigeria. The indigenes of Ogun are predominately farmers and textile manufacturers (Tie and Dye/Adire).

Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Ogun State is a leading state in education, industrialization, and innovations. The unfortunate point is that these opportunities have not yet translated into service delivery. Some of the issues facing the people today include poverty, inadequate funding of the education and health sectors, poor rural roads development, a disjointed agriculture value chain as well as unemployment. Women’s empowerment is a key factor for achieving sustainable economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability. The W4PP program seeks to equip women with the basic skills that can enhance their competitiveness in the procurement space, expand their economic horizons, and ultimately improve the social and economic conditions of their households.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
June, 2021
Rationale: 
The empowerment of women is the empowerment of a household, a community, and the nation at large. However, women are yet to fully benefit from some of the economic opportunities such as public procurement that exist in the formal sector. In 2019 alone, over $1 trillion was spent on procurement globally, and less than 1% of women-owned businesses benefitted. Hence, RCE Ogun embarked on the Women for Public Procurement Project to advocate for women inclusion in public procurement, and to train women on digital and networking skills that can enhance their chances in the procurement space
Objectives: 
To improve the economic and social conditions of women, and to enhance public procurement process. The mission of this project is premised on the background that women's participation in public procurement has significant benefits for public procurement systems, and for women. The inclusion of women in public procurement ensures a diversified supply chain, which is innovative, competitive, and highly efficient. This also expands the economic horizon of women; thus, improving the economic conditions of their households which have been severely affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This project seeks to create awareness on the benefits of women's inclusion in public procurement and to improve the attitudes of gender groups on women's inclusion in public procurement thereby improving the public procurement process and economic sustainability of women and their households.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
o Training on procurement, digital, and networking skills
o Role modeling and mentorship meetings
o Connecting women with financial institutions for access to
Size of academic audience: 
220
Results: 
There is an increased awareness of the benefits of women's inclusion in public procurement. Most of the women participating in the project have acquired procurement, digital, and networking skills that can enhance their chances in the procurement space. A platform for lifelong learning and capacity building has been created for the women through monthly webinars and in-person training. A policy brief on women's inclusion in public procurement has been designed and it is awaiting a public hearing.
Lessons learned: 
Gender stereotypes, institutional and cultural barriers limit the economic potentials of women
Awareness and advocacy can improve the attitudes of both women and men towards women's participation in public procurement.
Capacity building in procurement, digital, and networking skills can create a niche for women in the procurement space.
Digital skills empower the economic potentials of women by creating ‘borderless’ opportunities, which enables them to balance family responsibilities and business expectations.
Key messages: 
Advocacy for Women's inclusion and gender equality is not about women's supremacy. It is simply profiling the social and economic implications of women's exclusion in processes such as public procurement.
Funding: 
The project was made possible by the financial support from Zenith Bank Plc
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Direct
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No