The global procurement market is worth trillions of dollars and engages public and private organizations through the exchange of goods and services. Globally, public procurement is estimated to generate between US$11 trillion and $13 trillion annually. Despite this, women-owned businesses (WOBs) receive only 1 per cent of both public and private procurement spending.
Structural gender inequalities prevent women—across diverse backgrounds, races, classes, sexual orientations, abilities and educational levels—from gaining equitable access to networks, finance and markets, including procurement markets. This hinders their ability to start, expand or maximize their business profits.
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women-owned businesses trained in Thailand and Viet Nam to strengthen their business models and procurement readiness.
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buyers were engaged and trained in GRP practices, with several organizations piloting the Gender-Responsive Procurement Assessment Tool.
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procurement contracts successfully signed between women-owned businesses and public/private sector buyers following structured business matchmaking
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WEPs Signatories (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam)
Access to procurement opportunities is critical for gender-responsive enterprises and women-owned businesses, as it empowers women to increase profits, contribute to the economy and enable their businesses to thrive.
About
WE RISE Together is funded by the Australian Government through the Mekong-Australia Partnership and implemented by UN Women. The first phase of the implementation started in 2022.
Between 2025-2029, WE RISE Together continues to promote women’s economic empowerment by leveraging procurement opportunities to expand market access for women-owned businesses and gender-responsive enterprises, including those led by or working with women with disabilities, ethnic minorities, LGBTQI+ people and rural women, delivering impact across three key outcome areas.
Government of Australia, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), through the Mekong-Australia Partnership
Australia is working with the Mekong subregion to tackle shared development challenges and ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous region. The Mekong-Australia Partnership (MAP), launched in 2020, is central to Australia’s efforts to bolster the subregion’s resilience and support inclusive, sustainable growth.
Implementing Partners
In Thailand Office of SMEs Promotion (OSMEP) SE Thailand Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI)
In Viet Nam Ministry of Finance (MoF): Agency for Private Enterprise and Cooperative Economic Development (APED) Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) Women’s Initiative for Startups and Entrepreneurship (WISE)
In Lao People's Democratic Republic Ministry of Finance (MoF) Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) UNDP Lao People’s Democratic Republic
In Cambodia Ministry of Commerce (MoC) Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA)
Get Involved
For more information and inquiries, please contact:
WE RISE Together UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific [ Click to reveal ]
