Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has started implementing a project which seeks to empower women to secure government contracts.
The project called public procurement and open contracting aims at promoting women to participate in public procurement and encourage them as citizens to follow different projects which government implements in their areas.
On Thursday, CHRR met women who are in formal and informal business in Lilongwe as a way of conducting research about the challenges they are facing in the public procurement.
CHRR Program Manager Michael Kaiyatsa said women continue to face challenges when it comes to having access to contract due to lack of capacity, resources, capital as well as willingness to compete with men.
He added that the project therefore empowers women to be able to reach those positions and standards where they can win government contracts without facing challenges.
“This project targets women across the country district both rural and urban areas, we are meeting women in formal and informal sector to understand their experiences and see how we can promote them,” he explained.
Kaiyatsa went on to say that they started with the research in Lilongwe to understand the challenges that women are facing in the public procurement and after the research has been disseminated they will select districts where they will implement the project.
One of the participants, Alice Manyechembe said her expectation is to learn more from the workshop which will also assist her to boost her pharmacy business.
Women who attended the workshop include farmers and those who are running different businesses.
