WTO-ITC High- Level Event on Women and Trade

World Trade Organization (WTO) Members, the WTO Secretariat and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have placed inclusive trade at the forefront of global, regional and national agendas. In 2017, the Buenos Aires WTO Declaration on Trade and Women's Economic Empowerment was a key milestone in the global women and trade agenda with more than two-thirds of the WTO membership joining the Declaration. In 2021, 134 WTO members and observers established the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender. At MC12, WTO members recognized the importance of women’s economic empowerment in international trade.

Turning to Aid for Trade, ITC SheTrades Initiative, launched in 2015, has been a key driver in transforming opportunities for women producers and entrepreneurs. ITC SheTrades works with corporations, export promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, financial institutions and trade ministries to create sustainable and scalable impact for women entrepreneurs and producers.

At the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), the journey towards an inclusive trading system accelerates. WTO and ITC, in collaboration with the Government of the UAE, will hold a two-day high-level event to celebrate the progress made by women entrepreneurs in international trade and inspire governments and private sector to take bolder actions in their support for the trade and women’s economic empowerment agenda.

WTO and ITC will convene governments, corporations, financial institutions, and thought leaders for a joint high-level event. The high-level event will witness the launch of the WTO-ITC Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund—a pioneering initiative that aims to leverage digitalization to boost the competitiveness of and unlock new markets for women-led businesses. The event also includes a series of thought-provoking panel sessions, networking opportunities, and the ITC SheTrades Innovation Festival.

The Launch of the WEIDE Fund is preceded by the WTO-ITC SheTrades Summit, featuring a programme specially tailored to women entrepreneurs. Participants get to access a programme featuring masterclasses, panel sessions and a field visit."