Women and trade

Importance of building evidence for gender-sensitive trade policies
Building evidence does not only happen through research and analysis; it also comes from sharing experiences. For example, EIF support has been directed to sectors in which women are predominantly engaged, so female-owned businesses can expand and access new regional and global markets. Responses to the M&E exercise indicate a wide recognition that these efforts result in strengthening women’s economic and financial independence.

Women play a key role in fighting climate change
Women are 14 times more likely to die from a climate disaster than men. Despite being face-to-face with the problem, women are often not part of the solution.

Women-run businesses getting a boost in Rwanda and Zambia
Small businesses are receiving support to access much-needed finance

In Lesotho, looking to expand from farming
Support efforts include new tools, from the tangible to the abstract

Shea is trading in French-speaking Africa
The multimillion-dollar shea industry is booming in French-speaking Africa. With the right support, there is a lot of room for the sector to grow and for rural women to benefit.

A year of digitalization for women entrepreneurs?
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the trade ecosystem for women in the developing world

Striving to take the local handicrafts of northern Lao PDR global
More training, more links to buyers of rural arts means more income for women

Pay cuts and forced overtime: COVID-19 takes heavy toll on Ethiopia's garment workers
Originally published by Thompson Reuters Foundation News on 22 December 2020

On augmenting Togo’s shea industry
Public-private partnership to boost incomes in shea.

Access to finance is crucial for women entrepreneurs
In Bangladesh, COVID-19 is impacting the female labour force more

For women in business in The Gambia and Zambia, making all the right moves
Breaking ground with new ideas and new partnerships in two African countries

On the role of women trade trainers
In trade for development, more female trainers could make a big difference

Investing in The Gambia’s small businesses
Artisan handbag maker taking her enterprise forward, and receiving new financing

Women at the Rwanda border
Country's cross-border traders persevere despite COVID-19 challenges

Building back equitably: Spotlight on women workers in global value chains
Women workers in global value chains have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Making it faster and easier for South Asian women to take businesses online
Recently launched ecommerce training program and portal will help hundreds of women entrepreneurs in South Asian LDCs become part of regional and global supply chains.

Industries post-COVID-19: A gender-responsive approach to global economic recovery
Women’s specific needs and potential as leaders and agents of change must be considered for COVID-19 mitigation and recovery measures.

Making trade facilitation gender sensitive
New tool offers actions to tackle the barriers to trade that women face

How to tackle least developed countries' gender gaps in tech use and data
Originally published by Devex on 10 March 2020

Seeing the silver lining in shea - Kora’s story
Shea is critical to the income of rural communities, and a new effort across four shea-producing countries in West Africa is looking to boost those incomes

Protecting trees, empowering women, ensuring incomes – suggestions for a just shea story
How to ensure the women who collect shea benefit from being part of the global marketplace

How women in developing countries can harness ecommerce
Originally published in World Economic Forum Agenda on 24 April 2020

Young designer shaking up Gambia’s fashion industry
Taking traditional African prints and making them modern, a female entrepreneur is aiming to go global – armed with the right business tools

COVID-19 in Africa – some reflections on trade matters
Poverty, inequality and exclusion are key factors contributing to the devastating effects of COVID-19 on all African countries.

Hanna Norberg: On instigating a new, and growing, trade community
The Trade Experettes founder discusses the blossoming global network of female experts from ‘all walks of trade’

Women bringing home the goods at international textiles trade fair
Opportunities and challenges abound for Zambia entrepreneurs eyeing new markets

From kitchen to boardroom: One woman’s story of business success
In Zambia, a sweet idea spurs entrepreneurship

Talking trade, and making 'Made in Vanuatu'
See how Vanuatu is recovering from the effects of Cyclone Pam, and how one handicrafts seller is striving for "Vanuatu made" to become the norm.

Ann Linde: Talking aid for trade, global growth and making trade deals happen
Then Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade, Ann Linde (now Minister for Foreign Affairs) discusses supporting developing country exports and the need to close the gender gap

Isatou Touray: On getting good data, shaping gender-responsive policies and unleashing women in business
On the sidelines of the Aid for Trade Global Review 2019, The Gambia’s Vice President discusses the potential of women in trade

Unleashing the power of women to transform the world’s poorest countries
Originally published by Thomson Reuters Foundation News on 11 September 2019

Anne Kabahuma Kalinzi: Pushing for local handicrafts, readying for global business
Empowerment and markets are on this Ugandan woman’s agenda

4 ways to empower women in the world's poorest countries
Originally published by World Economic Forum Agenda on 24 June 2019

Strengthening the gender dimension of aid for trade in the least developed countries
Aid for trade can support women’s economic empowerment, which is key to sustainable development.

Friendship across borders: When trade brings peace
Businesswomen creating a united front in Rwanda and the DRC

New initiative aims at transforming economic lives of women in Least Developed Countries
TOKYO – 23 MARCH 2019 – Across the world’s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), women continue to face constraints that limit their participation in trade.

Speaking from the heart: Empowering women to share business ideas
EIF has been working with hundreds of entrepreneurs for the past few years, to help them build and implement strategies for brand promotion, participate in regional and international trade fairs, improve in processing capabilities and value addition as well as provide support to cooperatives

Monique van Daalen: On women, better business and Rwanda’s trade landscape
Following a recent visit to Rwanda with EIF, Netherlands Ambassador to the WTO and LDC Sub-Committee Chair Monique van Daalen discusses seeing the country’s cross border trade efforts in person, as well as the country’s policy in action

In Zambia, enhancing women’s economic horizons
Launch of country’s SheTrades initiative to focus on agriculture and textile industries

Ibrahima Sittina Farate: As one woman innovates, a nation’s exports set to bloom
In Comoros, an essential oils doyenne has plans for her country’s unique yields

Dragons' Den: Bright ideas for inclusive trade development in LDCs
Representatives from LDCs had the unique opportunity to pitch new investment opportunities that support inclusive trade to the experts, and received immediate feedback

Talking trade strategies for small businesses, women, and youth
This session gathered ministers from LDCs and global leaders to discuss implementation of trade strategies and national-level plans in light of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Princess of Burkina Faso Abze Djigma: On the need to support small businesses in LDCs, and good finance
We need to be in the driver's seat of economic growth because it's important for us and for the next generation, and is the right pathway to trade with other countries. It's my duty to start doing some of the homework to facilitate trade

Women & Trade Magazine
In this issue: "Samoa's coconuts go global," "Taking female-led businesses from local to global," and "Women at the helm of Senegal's mango industry"

OECD event parses unleashing the potential of women and youth
On 5 April the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) opened its doors to welcome over 500 participants, including government officials, private sector, civil society and academia, to brainstorm on what needs to be done to empower 4.6 billion women and youth worldwide.

In Vanuatu, ‘market mamas’ are taking care of business
Women entrepreneurs are helping to restore island nation’s economy after the ravages of Cyclone Pam

Making Aid for Trade work for women
Originally published in International Trade Forum

Wanjira Mathai on women's renewable energy entrepreneurship in LDCs
EIF Coordinators Hang Tran and Simon Hess interview Wanjira Mathai of wPOWER partnership on women's entrepreneurship in renewables

Taking female-led businesses from local to global
International Women's Day discussion highlights the need for entrepreneurship and markets, and what comes next The flashing images show women from across the world at work – in fields and offices, on boats and streets, at home and abroad.

Samoa's coconuts go global
“Coconuts are both culturally and economically important to Samoans,” says Alberta Vitale, Associate Director of Samoa’s Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI).

Rosalie's story from Vanuatu
Rosalie is not just any market mama. She is the founder of Bulvanua Arts & Handicrafts – a cooperative of 30 traders who are promoting Made in Vanuatu products in place of imports.

Market mamas work together to promote Vanuatu-made products
Rosalie’s day starts at 4 a.m., kneading coconut cream rolls with her eldest daughter to sell at the local community shop down the road from her house.

Women at the helm of Senegal’s burgeoning mango industry
Aminata Dominique Diouf was seven years old when her father bought a small farm 15 minutes from the Senegal-Gambia border.

EIF impact on women in the Least Developed Countries
Executive Director of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Ratnakar Adhikari discusses the impact EIF has on the lives and livelihoods of women in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Trade, promoting equal gender opportunities and empowering women and girls
Meet a young woman from Cambodia who received silk production training through an EIF project

Trade, building sustainable livelihoods, fostering greater competition and managing water conservation
Chandra and her 25 colleagues from her women's association take a break from the day's farming business to hold a meeting on their ginger business prospects and the stiff market competition they face with India's value-added ginger.

Improved trade policies in fish sectors could address gender inequalities
New UNCTAD-EIF study of the fisheries sector in The Gambia shows trade policies have to be inclusive if they are to reduce poverty