NAIROBI, Kenya, March 2 — The Council of Governors (CoG) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment through targeted policy and procurement reforms across the country’s 47 counties.
The renewed pledge was made during the 2nd EmpowerHer Conference convened under the UAE–UN Women Strategic Partnership Framework (2024–2027).
During the forum, county leaders highlighted progress in mainstreaming gender-responsive procurement as a catalyst for inclusive growth.
Speaking at the event, Moses Badilisha, Chairperson of the Council’s Trade and Cooperatives Committee, said counties have shifted from viewing gender-responsive procurement as a compliance requirement to treating it as a deliberate economic strategy.
“Gender-responsive procurement is no longer a compliance exercise. It is an economic growth strategy,” he said.
Badilisha noted that through the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) framework and complementary county-level reforms, women-owned enterprises are increasingly securing opportunities within supply chains across various sectors.
He said counties have taken practical steps to lower entry barriers for women entrepreneurs, including unbundling large tenders into smaller, more accessible lots, simplifying supplier registration processes, and improving payment timelines to shield small businesses from cash flow constraints.
“These measures are designed to ensure that women-owned enterprises not only access opportunities but also sustain and scale their operations,” he added.
Beyond procurement reforms, Badilisha said counties are implementing broader enterprise development initiatives aimed at strengthening women-led value chains and improving their competitiveness in local and export markets.
He emphasized that women’s economic inclusion is anchored in both constitutional principles and economic necessity.
“Economic empowerment is not a favour extended to women; it is a constitutional imperative and an economic necessity. Counties are committed to creating enabling environments where women entrepreneurs can start, formalize, scale and export,” the CoG said.
The Council of Governors said it will continue working with development partners to expand gender-responsive budgeting, widen market access, and institutionalize long-term frameworks that guarantee sustainable economic inclusion for women across the devolved units.
