Our funders and partners

Trade becomes more inclusive when partners invest, build together and remove the barriers that keep women-led businesses out.

The ITC SheTrades Initiative is the flagship Women and Trade programme of the International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint UN–WTO agency for small businesses. Since 2015 we have worked with governments, private sector companies, foundations, development agencies and business support organizations so that women producers and entrepreneurs can reach new markets. Together we help them build export market-ready skills, strengthen competitiveness, meet buyer requirements and open access to finance and procurement opportunities.

Through SheTrades, partners gain six decades of ITC trade expertise across the green and digital transitions, trade and market intelligence, trade facilitation, and inclusive trade.

By partnering with us, organizations gain:
  • Reach. A network of over 100,000 women across 94 countries, including entrepreneurs ready to grow, export, supply and enter new value chains.
  • Delivery. Programmes and infrastructure across skills, digital tools, market access and finance, turning ESG, supplier diversity and SDG commitments into measurable outcomes for women in trade.
  • Credibility. Backing from ITC’s world-class export readiness technical offerings, trusted by donor governments, multilateral institutions and procurement teams looking for verified gender-impact partners.
  • Evidence. SheTrades Outlook data from over 70 countries, trade policy insights and direct engagement with women entrepreneurs to demonstrate impact to boards, regulators and investors.

Our impact

>100,000

Women supported across 94 countries

$40m

In finance and investment facilitated for women in trade

22

SheTrades Hubs across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East

290

Partners

>70

Countries improving business and policy environments through SheTrades Outlook

Our funders

Funders make the work possible. They are governments, development agencies, donor institutions, corporates and philanthropic organizations that finance SheTrades projects in countries from Bangladesh to Zambia. Their investment supports export-readiness training, digital tools, market linkages, SheTrades Hubs, research and policy reform. Some funders also engage as partners on programme delivery.

Our partners

Partners work alongside SheTrades on delivery. They bring expertise, technology, market access, training networks and supply chain reach. Many also co-invest.
Partners join at one of three tiers, reflecting the depth and shape of their commitment.
  • Transformers co-invest and co-lead initiatives at scale. They underwrite multi-country programmes, contribute proprietary technology, and open their own customer or supplier networks to women-led businesses.
  • Contributors deliver expertise, tools and joint programmes in specific areas, including digital adoption, logistics, finance readiness, standards and compliance.
  • Advocates use their platforms and convening power to raise the profile of women in trade and bring new actors into the work.

Transformers

The UPS Foundation

The SheTrades and UPS Women Exporters Programme, funded by The UPS Foundation, helps small businesses and young entrepreneurs become digitally enabled and export ready. They learn to use digital tools, AI, data analytics and export procedures so they can ship goods reliably to international buyers.

Related Projects

Ghana, India, Mexico, Viet Nam

April 2020 – March 2024
SheTrades and UPS Women Exporters Programme

Visa

Visa and SheTrades deliver tailored programmes to equip women and young entrepreneurs across the Gulf and sub-Saharan Africa in digital payments, business finance and the skills to sell online.

Related Projects

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The UAE

June 2023 – March 2024
ITC SheTrades-Visa: Gulf Region

Mastercard Foundation

Across Africa, Mastercard Foundation and SheTrades co-create to contribute to the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy. Joint programmes equip women-led businesses and young women entrepreneurs with the skills and market access to grow and create jobs for young women.

Related Projects

Rwanda

July 2023 – June 2028
Value-added Initiative to Boost Employment for Women-led Businesses Programme

Contributors

DHL

DHL GoTrade and SheTrades train women-led businesses in trade logistics and export readiness. Regional and country sessions, webinars and joint work with SheTrades Hubs prepare businesses to ship reliably into international markets.

Sidley Austin

Sidley Austin, a US-based law firm, runs webinars, country workshops (including in Ghana) and export handbooks with SheTrades to build women entrepreneurs’ legal knowledge in transactional and litigation matters.

WIPO

WIPO, the UN agency for intellectual property, coaches women entrepreneurs to protect and commercialize their innovations. Joint online and country training with SheTrades covers brand development, IP strategy and routes to scale nationally and globally.

Absa Bank

Across Kenya, Zambia and South Africa, Absa works with SheTrades to widen women’s access to finance, training and markets. Absa Bank Kenya hosts the SheTrades Kenya Hub.

AWEN

Through the UK International Development-funded SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, SheTrades has partnered with AWEN to enhance its leadership and governance capacities as key enablers for resource mobilisation, institutional credibility, and the sustainable delivery of support to women entrepreneurs across ASEAN, including by building their capacity on the regulatory requirements to export to the UK.

Bank of Zambia

The Bank of Zambia, Zambia’s central bank, works with SheTrades on gender-lens finance practices. The partnership produced Unlocking Finance in Zambia: A Woman Entrepreneur’s Guide, a practical resource for women navigating the country’s financial system.

ITU and EQUALS Global Partnership

EQUALS, founded by ITU, UN Women, UN University, ITC and GSMA, brings together more than 100 partners to advance women’s access, skills, leadership and research in digital technologies.

Mercado Libre

Since 2022, Mercado Libre, Latin America’s largest e-commerce platform, has worked with SheTrades to bring Latin American women-led businesses into digital trade through training, listings support and access to its marketplace.

Microsoft

In Kenya and South Africa, Microsoft and SheTrades train women entrepreneurs to use AI tools to find customers, design products and run operations.

Monsha’at

Monsha’at, Saudi Arabia’s Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, runs Sharpen Your Business Edge with SheTrades. The programme gives Saudi women and youth entrepreneurs applied skills, strategy tools and access to local networks.

MTN

In South Sudan, MTN brings mobile connectivity and digital services to women-led businesses. Joint training with SheTrades covers digital tools, mobile financial services and business growth.

Olam

Across West African food and agriculture value chains, Olam works with SheTrades to strengthen women producers and farmers through training and market linkages.

Opportunity International

Opportunity International and SheTrades coach women-led businesses to manage finances, prepare for investment and access capital, with tailored training and pipeline support.

Qatar Development Bank

Qatar Development Bank, the country’s national SME financing institution, runs Small Steps to Success with SheTrades. The programme trains women and youth entrepreneurs in Qatar in digitization, sustainability, innovation and design thinking.

Safaricom

In Kenya, Safaricom works with SheTrades to bring mobile financial and digital tools to women-led businesses, with training to help them reach customers and operate online.

Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric, the energy management and automation group, runs masterclasses with SheTrades that give women-led businesses the tools to operate sustainably and compete in green-economy supply chains.

UN Department of Operational Support (UN DOS)

UN DOS and SheTrades run global training that helps women-led businesses understand UN procurement processes and bid for supply contracts across the UN system.

UNFPA

UNFPA leads the Equity Alliance 2030, which SheTrades supports. The Alliance strengthens the collection and use of gender-disaggregated data so that policymakers and investors can act on evidence.

Advocates

GSMA

GSMA, the industry association for mobile network operators, co-founded the EQUALS Global Partnership with SheTrades and others to close the gender digital divide. Together they convene telecoms operators, governments and civil society around women’s digital skills and leadership.

WEIDE Fund

In February 2024, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) launched the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund. The $50 million global fund supports women-led businesses to unlock opportunities in international and digital trade by improving their access to grants, technical assistance, export markets and networks.
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