As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Month, we are reminded of the urgent need to accelerating action and opportunities for women. For women entrepreneurs to thrive, a supportive policy environment is crucial–one that ensures equal access to finance, markets, and business support services. While many governments have introduced gender-responsive policies, effective enforcement remains a challenge. Barriers such as restrictive lending practices, bureaucratic hurdles, and limited access to public procurement opportunities continue to hinder women’s full economic participation.
These challenges are particularly significant given the vital role that women entrepreneurs play in Africa’s economic landscape. The African Development Bank (AfDB) reports that Sub-Saharan Africa is home to approximately 147 million formal and informal small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)., a significant proportion of which are women-owned or women-led businesses. Women entrepreneurs are at the heart of key economic sectors, particularly in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, and services. In addition, informal trade remains a critical driver of economic activity across the continent, with women dominating cross-border trade. Notably, 70% of informal cross-border traders in Africa are women, contributing between 50% and 60% of total intra-African trade (FAO,) 2017.
Despite these economic contributions, women entrepreneurs remain underrepresented in public procurement, an area that holds vast potential for business growth. Women entrepreneurs often encounter challenges whilst soliciting for public procurement due to a number of reasons such as: limited awareness and missing out on deadlines of public procurement opportunities by government, limited digital skills considering some procedures require uploading relevant compliance information and documents online amongst others.
However,, some women are changing the narrative and are actively working to change the status quo. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) Malawi chapter has been at the forefront of advocating for the effective implementation of gender-responsive procurement policies, particularly the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) MSME Order.
This order mandates that 20% of public procurement be reserved for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) category and marginalised groups (youth and women) –a significant opportunity to level the playing field. However, in reality, many women entrepreneurs remain unable to tap into this allocation due to a lack of awarenessabout the order or difficulties in meeting the stringent procurement criteria. Recognizing these gaps, COMFWB Malawi is pushing for greater accountability and structured support to ensure women entrepreneurs can access these opportunities.
Selina Mwenelupembe, Executive Chairperson of COMFWB Malawi, shared that the PPDA MSME Order is a transformative tool, but without accountability and structured support, women will continue to be left behind. We are working closely with ministries to ensure enforcement and accessibility for women entrepreneurs.
Since 2024, COMFWB has embarked on awareness campaigns to educate women entrepreneurs about the PPDA order through consultative meetings with its membership and other key stakeholders. Additionally, it has engaged with relevant ministries to assess the implementation of the order, particularly within government agencies, and ensure that procurement policies truly benefit women-led businesses.
Beyond procurement, COMFWB is also championing improved market access and cross-border trade opportunitiesfor women entrepreneurs. Many women face significant challenges in expanding their businesses internationally, including: Limited access to trade information – Many women are unaware of import/export regulations, commercial terms, and compliance requirements. Lack of market research – Without accurate data on competitive pricing and product demand, women struggle to position their businesses for growth. Weak policy coordination – A disconnect between policymakers and women-led enterprises limits trade expansion opportunities.
To address these barriers, COMFWB has established networking platforms where women entrepreneurs can exchange insights, access training on international trade regulations, and receive guidance on navigating complex trade procedures. By equipping women with the necessary knowledge and tools, these initiatives are driving meaningful progress toward economic inclusion.
As we reflect on this year’s International Women’s Month theme on accelerating action, it is clear that Women’s networks play a pivotal role in advocating for fair procurement practices, expanding market access, and ensuring that trade policies work for women entrepreneurs.
However, for real progress to take root, key stakeholders–including governments, financial institutions, and trade organizations–must take deliberate action to:
✔ Enforce gender-responsive procurement policies to ensure women have a fair share of economic opportunities.
✔ Provide financial and technical support to help women navigate procurement and trade systems.
✔ Accelerate the digitalization of procurement and trade processes to enhance accessibility and transparency.
