WTO GPA Workshop Highlights How to Increase Women Entrepreneurs' Access to Government Procurement

Government procurement is vital to global economic activity, representing 10–15% of GDP in developed countries and up to 40% in developing countries. However, only 1% of women-led businesses participate in government procurement, often due to complex administrative requirements and limited access to opportunities. The workshop provided practical examples of how other WTO GPA members have increased the participation of women-led businesses.

The workshop opened with speeches by the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, and the Primary Sector (via video), Mr. Geoffrey Wever, and Mr. Audrey Goosen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the WTO in Geneva. Prominent speakers included Dr. Judith Fessehaie, Head of the SheTrades Initiative at the International Trade Centre; Mr. Bongki Shin, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Korean Public Procurement Agency; Ms. Vanesa Aventin Fontana, Deputy Director-General for Governance and Coordination of Public Procurement at the Spanish Ministry of Finance and Public Administration; Ms. Helena Morais Maceira, Gender Mainstreaming Researcher at the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE); and Professor Anna Maria La Chimia Chiggai, Professor of Law at the University of Nottingham (United Kingdom).

The speakers shared their experiences and practical tools on how women entrepreneurs can: 

• Seize opportunities and enter foreign markets, using market intelligence, export-focused data, and coaching.
• Take advantage of subcontracting opportunities arising from contracts with multinational corporations.
• Ensure tender designs that favor women entrepreneurs within the public procurement procedures covered by the GPA.

This workshop focused on sharing knowledge about gender-responsive public procurement as part of the CGP meetings.GPA members are encouraged to take further action and share lessons learned from developed and developing countries. 
“We are grateful that Aruba can contribute to the global dialogue to promote equal participation in government procurement. If we want to achieve a truly inclusive and sustainable economy, we must create conditions that offer women entrepreneurs the same opportunity to participate and thrive,” said Minister Wever.

Aruba's participation in the WTO GPA workshop directly aligns with the Aruban government's objectives, as laid out in the AVP-FUTURO Government Program 2025-2028, to promote equal opportunities, economic empowerment, and the active participation of women in all sectors of the economy. This initiative underscores the commitment of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs, and Primary Sector to create a more accessible, transparent, and equitable government procurement system, thus contributing to a stronger, more diversified, and sustainable economy for Aruba's future.