Building gender-responsive procurement: Lessons from research and practice

This guidance note synthesizes UN Women’s gender-responsive procurement research in Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa to derive recommendations for programming, policy, and advocacy.

The intended audience is development actors, including the government, civil society, United Nations, and private sector, which are planning or implementing procurement policies and programmes with the aim of supporting women’s economic empowerment.

The guidance note outlines strategic entry points and challenges for gender-responsive procurement in terms of four factors:

1. Institutions;
2. Partnerships;
3. Evidence; and
4. Capacity of buyers and suppliers.