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FEATURE STORYJanuary 29, 2023

Increasing women in labor force through procurement

Transportation in Colombia

Public transportation in Bogotá, Colombia.

Isabelle Schaefer/Banco Mundial

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Procurement is a powerful lever for governments to affect change in the private sector as the largest purchaser of goods and services in individual economies.
  • Colombia demonstrates that governments can address gender disparities through procurement.
  • Nearly 14% of all public works awards in the capital city of Bogotá will go to women led businesses.

In 2020 the Colombian government included gender selection criteria in project bidding documents and contracts to promote the participation of women in civil works while offering equal pay for men and women. The legislation also covers tariffs, provides financial incentives, and offers government strategies that support the development of women led businesses. For example, the legislation states that rural businesses that are majority women-owned have priority in receiving technical and financial support from the state – a key barrier for these businesses.1

In line with these new requirements the Colombian government requested the World Bank to include a gender criteria in project contracts to promote the participation of women in civil works which offered equal pay for men and women. The contract requirements were written to include compliance indicators for hiring females and penalties, including fines, if the goals were not met. All contractors met these stipulations.

Passengers arriving from the TransMilenio at Simon Bolivar station in Bogotá, Colombia.

Passengers arriving from the TransMilenio at Simon Bolivar station in Bogotá, Colombia.

Photo © Dominic Chavez/World Bank

Increasing women participation

The contract requirements were written to include compliance indicators for hiring females and penalties, including fines, if the goals were not met. The numbers tell the story. On the construction sites—the most demanding workplace of large building projects—women initially made up only 4 percent to 6 percent of workers. Soon, their presence nearly tripled to reach 15 percent of the workforce. Officials drafted a labor code with a gender perspective and designed an awareness campaign to prevent sexual abuse and harassment. These are now referenced to be replicated in other projects. Women who were hired have nothing but praise for this innovation in a traditionally male-dominated field.2

Colombia plans to build on these accomplishments, and local governments have picked up on the successes. From June 2023, nearly 14% of all public works awards in the capital city of Bogotá, a sector with traditionally low participation of women, will have to go to women led businesses. Bogotá will also continue a project that promotes SMEs led by women in the city’s public contracts.3

References:

World Bank (internal document):
https://worldbankgroup.sharepoint.com/sites/Governance/ProcurementHub/Sitepages/Detail.aspx/Documents/mode=view?_Id=29&SiteURL=/sites/Governance/ProcurementHub

 

https://open-contracting.org/2022/03/08/measure-and-change-colombias-women-vendor-strategy/

World Bank. 2020d. PROLAC Annual Report. World Bank, Washington, DC. Unpublished

https://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=104165

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