[ad_1]
Founder of PABWA, Yavi Madurai and CEO of GEA, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh
The Secretariat of the Agreement on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been urged to implement gender-sensitive policies in its programs, as they are essential to accelerate the success of the largest free zone. exchange to the world.
According to the panelists of the Forum of Women in Commerce organized by the African Chamber of Commerce and Investment, in partnership with the Center for African Legal Studies of the Faculty of Law of the University of Professional Studies of Accra (UPSA) , there are gender sensitive policies and programs. in the AfCFTA document, but its implementation has been a challenge so far.
Panelists said that many women-owned businesses that must take advantage of policies have little or no knowledge of them or are unable to take advantage of them, even though they make up more than 70 percent of businesses on the continent.
Speaking on the theme: Navigating the Contours of Trade for Women in the AfCFTA Era, Founder and Executive Director of the Pan African Business Women Association (PABWA), Yavi Madurai said, “We have a situation on the continent where we have regulations, laws and policies for women, but there is little commitment from member states to monitor and ensure that women get what they are due.
“With over 60% of women on the continent who are illiterate, how do we communicate the policies and programs designed for them? Do we put them in books that we know they can’t read?
“What are some of the things we should be looking at in terms of not only creating policies, laws and regulations, but also creating an enabling environment and the government’s ability to reach women, including the 70% who are part of the informal sector that supplies 80 percent of the continents benefit from it, ”she said.
Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) Chief Executive Officer Kosi Yankey-Ayeh said her organization, anticipating challenges, had started helping women-owned businesses formalize and standardize as it would be the first step to reach foreign markets.
“The formalization of women’s businesses is essential to take advantage of the AfCFTA. This would help businesses become more competitive, as their goods and services would meet globally accepted standards. The GEA has already started to provide assistance in this area.
“With the help of our partner, we have started helping businesses with a focus on women-owned businesses to achieve proper certification from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and Food and Drugs Authority (FDA ). institutions that provide standardization and certification in Ghana. We do this to help businesses prepare for and benefit from AfCFTA. “
For her part, Khuluwiwe Damoyi, corporate lawyer at K. Damoyi and Associates, legal consultant in South Africa, said there should be proper regulatory systems for the informal sector. For her, regulations must ensure formalization as well as help businesses develop. There should also be a way to continuously monitor and build the capacity of women-owned businesses.
Source link
