1. Public Procurement and Gender in Caribbean Development
Bridgetown, Barbados
Tuesday 14 June, 2016
By: L. Nana Oye Hesse - Bayne .

2. Presentation Overview
Conceptualizing Gender
Gender and the Human Rights Agenda
Public Procurement in the context of Government Expenditure
Gender Implications of Government Procurement expenditure
Why Gender is important – Caribbean experiences
Recommendations moving forward

3. Defining Gender
Social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female
Relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as well as the relations between women and those between men.
Socially constructed and learnt through socialization processes
Borrowing the Definition of Gender and Gender Equality by UN Women, Gender: refers to the social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as well as the relations between women and those between men. These attributes, opportunities and relationships are socially constructed and are learned through socialization processes. They are context/ time-specific and changeable. Gender determines what is expected, allowed and valued in a women or a man in a given context. In most societies there are differences and inequalities between women and men in responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision-making opportunities. Gender is part of the broader socio-cultural context. Other important criteria for socio-cultural analysis include class, race, poverty level, ethnic group and age.

4. Defining Gender Cont’d
Context/ time-specific and changeable.
Gender determines what is expected, allowed and valued in a women or a man in a given context.
Translated to responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision-making opportunities

5. Gender Equality
Equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys.
Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.
equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys. Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men. Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women

6. Gender Equality
Gender equality implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men.
Gender equality is not a women’s issue but should concern and fully engage men as well as women

7. Gender = Human Rights Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2015
Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),
The Beijing Platform for Action
The OAS/CIM Strategic Plan of Action,
Quito Consensus, 2007
Human Rights Declaration
National Constitutions
National Gender Policies

8. Public Procurement and Government Expenditure
Government spending accounts for 15 per cent of the GDP of OECD countries and is as high as 30 per cent of GDP in developing countries (UNEP)
In the Caribbean region over the last 2-3 years it has ranged between 11% – 20 % of GDP (World Bank)

9. World Bank data on share of public procurement in GDP for Caribbean Countries
Country
2010
2011
2012
Antigua and Barbuda 17 18
Bahamas 15
Barbados 19 20
Belize 16 -
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana 13
Jamaica
St. Kitts and Nevis 11 10
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines

10. Public Procurement and Government Expenditure
In which areas of the economy are Government procurement expenditures concentrated?
How are men and women represented in these sectors? and what are the gender issues experienced in the sector

11. Areas of Frequent Government Expenditure
Products
Services
Infrastructure
Air Conditioning
Management consultancy services
Roads
ICTs
IT Consultancy services
Water and treatment facilities
Vehicles
Software
Airports
Indoor Lightening
Servers and data centre
Ports
Outdoor lightening
Electricity
Railroads and stations
Office Supplies
Couriers and postal
Buildings
Fuel
Waste management
Sewage plants
Furniture
Food and beverage catering
Schools
Apparel
Landscape
Prisons
Paper
Mobility
Power plants
Source: Handbook for the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement

12. Participation in Economic sectors
Sex –disaggregated participation in economic sectors of
Barbados, Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago
2012 (Belize data available 2005)
ECONOMIC SECTOR
DOMINANT PARTICIPATION
Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing
Males
Mining and Quarrying
Manufacturing
Electricity, Gas and Water
Construction
Wholesale and Retail Trade and Restaurants and Hotels
Females
Transport, Storage and Communication
Financing, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services
Females except Belize
Community, Social and Personal Services
Source: CARICOM Gender Analysis of the CSME and It’s regional impact

13. Labour Market
Gender gaps in labour force participation have been shrinking globally, in all CARICOM countries the participation of men in the paid labour force continues to exceed that of women (ILO, 2014).
Females over-represented in the service sectors, while male participation exceeds women the most productive sectors contributing to GDP, and/or those targeted for growth (Gender and the CSME, 2015)

14. Entry Points
Use of Medium Small and Micro Enterprises as entry points for small business owners to access public procurement opportunities.
Trinidad and Tobago National Social Development Programme fund established for state enterprises to receive monies with the specific mandate of targeting MSMEs for the provision of the works and services under pre-determined thresholds.
On July 10, 2015 the Jamaica Observer news article “passage of public procurement legislation to benefit MSMEs”

15. Study on Gender and MSMEs
St. Lucia both men and women are making considerable contributions to local economic development in the context of MSMEs.
Guyana women’s access to microfinance is constrained by factors deeply rooted in the societal role for women and their general exclusion from business development programmes and services  
Source: Federation of Canadian Municipalities – Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (FCM- CARILED)

16. Study on Gender and MSMEs
Trinidad survey results of two main areas Point Fortin and Princess Town. Point Fortin depicted to have 56% male principal business owners, 32% female owners, Princess Town ownership of businesses by men was 52%, 26% females
In Jamaica many women operate businesses that are not formally registered and as a result, they are not able to make full use of the opportunities for business growth and expansion. “Own Account” category (representing sole traders), 64.4% are men
Source: Federation of Canadian Municipalities – Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (FCM- CARILED)

17. Way Forward
A gender analysis of the sectors that benefit from public procurement is important to determine who has access and is benefiting from the supply chain
Taking measures to address gender inequality will enhance productivity economic growth and development
Equitable distribution of resources is key to sustainable development

18. Recommendations
Examine how gender inequalities are structuring the public procurement
Develop sex disaggregated data to assist in analysis
Include gender indicators in monitoring and evaluating public procurement
Sensitization on Gender
Mainstream gender in public procurement processes.

19. Thank you