​​Women and trade take centre stage at WTO meeting

​Since 2015, SheTrades has supported more than 100,000 women across 94 countries, built a global network of 22 SheTrades Hubs, and advanced inclusive trade policy work in more than 65 countries through the UK-funded SheTrades Outlook policy tool. 

​​Long-standing funders and partners – including Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Continental Network for Women’s Business Associations in Africa – reflected on the collaborations that have shaped the initiative’s reach. 

​The next decade of SheTrades will focus on positioning women to lead in the digital and green transitions, growing higher-value businesses, and boosting trade among developing countries.  

​‘When we launched SheTrades 10 years ago, our ambition was clear: To ensure women entrepreneurs everywhere have the tools, networks and opportunities to compete in global markets,’ said ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton. ‘A decade on, we see that vision taking root, with more women driving exports, embracing digital trade and leading in green innovation. As we enter the next decade, we will continue to champion women in trade. To all the women, keep going, we’re with you.’ 

​The initiative’s future-facing ambition came through most clearly in the SheTrades Innovation Festival, organized by ITC in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization, and held under the theme Made by African Women, Ready for the World.  

​Young women entrepreneurs from Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa pitched businesses addressing waste recovery, soil health, women’s health and food systems. Their solutions were grounded in African realities and built to scale. 

​The festival concluded with the announcement of Phebe Ilesanmi from Nigeria as the winner for Trashcoin, a digital solution that connects waste collectors, buy-back hubs and buyers in a traceable supply chain resulting in export-ready recycled materials. She received a $5,000 cash prize and coaching support from SheTrades partners, including Sidley Austin. 

​The WEIDE segment brought a gamified format to the event, using responses from a survey of 100 women entrepreneurs in the WEIDE Fund programme to ground the discussion in lived experience. Teams from Mongolia and Nigeria – each comprising a government representative, a business support organization representative and a woman entrepreneur – explored what is helping women exporters gain ground in the digital economy, and where the biggest barriers still lie.  

​ WEIDE is releasing the first round of grant disbursements to women-led enterprises in the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, and Nigeria. In April, the Fund will launch its programme in Jordan, and technical training and disbursements will begin there as well. These grants form part of a wider first-phase package valued at $3.76 million. 

​‘Today, almost 300 women entrepreneurs are benefiting from the WEIDE Fund and being provided with targeted technical assistance and grants. Indeed, the first grant disbursement of $1.7 million is going out this month,’ said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO. ‘The focus is shifting from why women in trade matter to how we deliver results – through partnerships, investment, and action.’ 

​The event also featured the World Trade Organization Informal Working Groups (IWG) on Trade and Gender and the IWG on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with IWG co-chairs Ambassadors James Baxter of Australia, Clara Delgado of Cabo Verde and Patricia Benedetti of El Salvador joined by Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados, coordinator of the MSME Group. Their session highlighted work carried forward by WTO members in the IWG and the MSME Group. 

​They also took the opportunity to look ahead to the next phase of collaboration on women and trade. The IWG co-chairs presented a joint statement on Strengthening The Global Trading System Through Women’s Economic Empowerment and a new initiative on Empowering Women to trade through Digitalisation: Policy Insights. 

​The event closed with a networking reception supported by the EU-funded ACP Business-Friendly Programme. The new Gender Committee of the Robusta Coffee Agency of Africa and Madagascar presented its roadmap on how to expand opportunities for women.  

​The reception highlighted the partnership-driven ITC approach to advancing women’s access to investment. Speakers included ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton, ACRAM Gender Committee Chair Hon. Hermine Patricia Tomaïno Ndam Njoya, and Jenni Chamberlain Fischli, CEO of Altree Capital. 

​They also took the opportunity to look ahead to the next phase of collaboration on women and trade. The IWG co-chairs presented a joint statement on Strengthening The Global Trading System Through Women’s Economic Empowerment and a new initiative on Empowering Women to trade through Digitalisation: Policy Insights.