Expert Meeting on Trade as a Tool for the Economic Empowerment of Women

Women are important players in trade: they manufacture products, trade goods across borders, manage and own trading firms and constitute a significant part the workforce in export-oriented sectors.

Women have increased their share of the labour force and of jobs in management and as entrepreneurs, and their growing participation in the economy has been a major engine of global growth and competitiveness.

Despite all these advancements, women's potential in trade is too often held back by the many constraints they face. To analyse such problems and discuss possible solutions, UNCTAD is organizing this expert meeting.

The meeting will provide the opportunity to explore the gender and trade nexus focusing on three sectors:

1. Agriculture

2. Manufacturing

3. Services

It will also allow a discussion of the treatment of gender equality and women's economic empowerment within new global development frameworks, namely the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development.

The meeting, which is expected to be participatory and interactive, will review current thinking and evidence on trade and gender and offer the opportunity for a focused discussion on the issues under consideration.

Contributed Papers

Experts are encouraged to prepare and submit to the meeting brief papers (3-5 pages) related to one or more of the issues contained in the provisional agenda, which will be available on the UNCTAD website.

These papers will be made available to the meeting in the form and language in which they are received.