Release of “Ten ‘Quick Wins’ for More Equitable Trade” Report

On Monday, 27 September, 2021, the TradeExperettes presented a new report, Ten “Quick Wins” for More Equitable Trade to contribute to the discussion on trade and gender at the World Trade Organization. 

The informal ambassador’s roundtable was chaired by Amb. Patricia Benedetti from El Salvador and Deputy Director General Anabel González. In opening remarks, both recognized the importance of enhancing women’s participation in international trade, especially at the level of micro, small and medium enterprises. They also emphasized the importance of broad engagement from a wide array of stakeholders on discussions of trade and gender, including the views of women trade experts. 

Dr. Hanna Norberg, President and Founder of the TradeExperettes, shared the experience that led to the creation of her organization, and stressed the need to invest in women trade experts so that they can contribute their knowledge in the development and implementation of international trade policy. She also recognized the importance of investing in women entrepreneurs, traders, trade negotiators, academics, and experts from other trade-related disciplines. 

Johanna Hill, who supports the TradeExperettes’ professional development activities, presented the report, which included contributions from a diverse group of TradeExperettes ​​coming from academia, the private sector, international organizations and think tanks. Ms. Hill elaborated on four areas where the WTO could engage, including: 

• Maintaining many of the trade facilitation measures implemented during the pandemic to ensure the free flow of goods, and strengthening existing commitments under the Trade Facilitation Agreement;

• Finding ways to increase market access opportunities for products that bring formal employment to women, especially in sectors such as apparel and footwear;

• Promoting inclusivity in the drafting of trade policies by encouraging the participation of diverse voices in the discussions;

• Targeting women’s inclusion in international trade through expanding the Aid for Trade program, with an emphasis on facilitating the inclusion of women in digital trade, especially in the use of digital platforms.

TradeExperettes was gratified to see the openness shown by the different countries and international organizations to the views presented by women trade experts. Participants at the roundtable engaged in a lively and informative discussion on the initiatives presented in the report. It was noted that the action items identified in the Quick Wins report supported ongoing discussions on trade and gender at the WTO, and were a welcome contribution ahead of MC12. One participant remarked that such initiatives can help the WTO and other organizations move from just being “gender-aware” to “gender-responsive” in their activities. Others agreed that women’s empowerment in trade is a critical issue that deserves attention, and that efforts should be made to build on the Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade, which was an important contribution to supporting women’s economic empowerment.  

We invite you to read the report and join the conversation.