Women smash the glass ceiling but...
Monday, May 08, 2023 | 450 Views |
Girl power: Women are slowly claiming their place in the country’s economy PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
A recently released Statistics Botswana report shows, officially, that women are making up lost ground against men, in terms of opportunities in the formal employment sector. Long overlooked for recruitment and promotion across the different formal job sectors, the Quarterly Multi-Topic Survey covering the fourth quarter of last year, shows how far women have come.
The report is critical as it allows comparison of the fourth quarter of 2019 to the corresponding quarter last year, a period that covers the pre and post pandemic performance of the economy relative to trends in employment creation.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...