Report identifies barriers hindering women investors

By Stephen Ssenkaaba

LAST week, a coalition of seven core civil society, public and private sector institutions with support from the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) launched the Gender and Growth Assessment (GGA) programme.

 

From left, Dr Maggie Kigozi, UIA executive director, Mrs Edith Mwanje, Ceewa, chairperson and Harriet Nantongo, chairperson of Wanganja women’s group, at the launch of the programme

 

The GGA is an initiative aimed at addressing legal and administrative barriers to investment by Ugandan women. Specifically the programme focuses on five critical areas: Barriers to formalising business, access to finance and land, difficulty in complying with tax administration requirements, labour laws that do not take into account the specific gender needs of women and access to commercial justice.

 

The launch, held on Monday, August 14, at Hotel Africana in Kampala under the theme: “Removing legal and administrative barriers to women entrepreneurs,” drew participants from different sectors including government and private enterprises, small and medium entrepreneurs as well as individual businesswomen.

 

It was attended by, among others, Ms. Harriet Nanyonjo, the Acting World Bank Country Representative who represented the World Bank Country Representative Ms. Grace Yabrudy, Ms. Maggie Mabweijano Kyomukama Commissioner Gender, representing the Minister Gender Labour and Social Development, Dr. Maggie Kigozi Executive Director Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and Ms. Sarah Kitakule MSME World Bank Coordinator. Others were donor partners namely DFID Society Advisor, executive and Board members of the GGA Coalition namely Council for Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa (CEEWA-U), the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA - U), Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL), Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) and Africa Women’s Economic Policy Network (AWEPON) plus over 160 women entrepreneurs and some men as well.

 

The initiative, an outcome of a study undertaken by the ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development study takes stock of existing government initiatives to explore gender and growth linkages in the context of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP).

 

According to the Gender and Growth Assessment Country Report for Uganda 2005, legal and administrative barriers are still a big constrain to women entrepreneurs and therefore has a bearing in the slow economic growth. Participants at the launch of the GGA programme concurred with the findings of the report. They observed that while women have tried their best to do business, they have not realised much. This is because of the existing legal and administrative hindrances that stood in the way of their efforts to exercise their entrepreneurship abilities.

 

“The findings of the Gender and Growth Assessment report that we are discussing today reveal the gender inequalities in access to the key physical assets required for women empowerment today namely; land and finance,” said Minister of Gender, labour and social development, Hon. Syda Bbumba in a speech read for her by Ms. Maggie Mabweijano Kyomukama, the commissioner Gender.

Despite advances in women’s education and health in recent decades, in many parts of the developing world, including Uganda, women are still less likely to have equal rights compared to men in legal social or economic affairs,” said Ms Grace Yabrudy, the World Bank country manager in a speech read for her by Ms. Harriet Nanyonjo, the Acting World Bank Country Representative.

 

She said that while women and girls bear the largest and most direct costs of inequality between sexes, these costs cut across society, harming everyone.

“Gender inequalities tend to lower labour productivity and the efficiency of labour allocation in households and the economy, all of which lead to poverty,” she said.
Different women participants, especially, owners of small businesses, added their voices to women leaders, expressing their vulnerability to the very prohibitive legal and administrative barriers that have affected their participation in business. The women observed that lack of security, high interest rates and prohibitive costs have stood in their way of doing meaningful business.

We meet lots of constraints,” said Harriet Nantongo and chairperson of Wanganja women’s group in Rubaga. Nantongo highlighted the plight of women in business quoting the many requirements needed in applying for a loan and high fees (legal & insurance fees).
She said most women do not have physical assets and end up in ‘group loans.’

Mrs. Evlyne Wasswa shared her experiences with micro financial institutions which she said have not done much to help poor women access the much-needed financial assistance.

 

After 15 years accessing loans through different micro-finance institutions, Nantongo says she has received nothing but more debts and poverty.

 

Jennifer Mwijukye, a clearing and forwarding expert said that lack of information has kept many women in the dark about modern business practices.

 

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