Background
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, focusing on developing the export capabilities of small and medium-sized businesses in developing and transition economies. ITC projects and programmes contribute to the global efforts to achieve UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the Aid for Trade agenda. ITC works at three levels:
Strengthening the integration of the business sector of developing countries and economies in transition into the global economy,
Improving the performance of trade and investment support institutions for the benefit of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and enhancing the abilities of trade support institutions to support them better,
Improving the international competitiveness of SMEs.
The project “The Gambia: Activating skills and employment opportunities”, funded by GIZ, seeks to create income and employment opportunities for Gambians by fostering self-employment through access to finance and business development support. The project will support the Gambia SheTrades Hub to improve competitiveness of women-owned Gambian businesses, in particular through improving the business environment and facilitating gender-sensitive public procurement.
The SheTrades Hub Gambia was launched on 9 November 2021 as continuation of the SheTrades Gambia Project, implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC).
A SheTrades Hub is a decentralized platform of the ITC SheTrades initiative implemented by a local host institution. The purpose of a SheTrades Hub is to roll out the SheTrades initiative to the local context by aligning with government and initiatives around women’s economic empowerment for increased local ownership and sustainable long-term impact.
The local host institution of the SheTrades Hub Gambia is the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration & Employment (MOTIE). MOTIE works closely with SheTrades HQ, the ITC country office in The Gambia and key public and private stakeholders to facilitate the establishment of a conducive business environment for women entrepreneurs.
Key pillars of the SheTrades initiative are on access to markets for women-owned businesses (WoBs) including public procurement. However, for WoBs to access available opportunities, there is need to strengthen their capacities not only in areas specific to their sectors but also on the procedures including public procurement.
Thus, ITC in collaboration with GIZ will support the development of a guide and training of more WoBs on public procurement rules and procedures to complement other efforts to improve the participation of WoBs in public procurement in The Gambia.
Download the terms of reference in the downloadable for more information.
To apply, please submit your proposal (technical and financial) and all documents by 5pm GMT on 6 March 2023 to fjallow@intracen.org and copy mlouzada@intracen.org and musuc@hotmail.com with the subject “Capacity Building in Public Procurement for Women Owned Businesses ”.