Women and Trade: What are International Organizations Doing?

By Tanya Quinn-Maguire, ITC

ITC researched trade-related initiatives aimed at women that exist within the United Nations (UN) system, other international organizations and major non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In the following tables, researchers on women and trade development can find background and contact information for relevant initiatives, as well as links to research material available online. This selection focuses on some initiatives that help women participate in international business.

ITC initiatives on women and trade

Initiative	Purpose	Result	Contact
Support to Women Entrepreneurs in the Service Sector	Identify the trade support needs of women entrepreneurs in the service sector in developing countries and develop approaches to meet their needs.	Workshops in Mauritius, Mozambique and Nigeria. Parallel research producing country reports with recommendations. Gender component incorporated in Services Exporting Programme. Two research papers: Linkages and Networks: The Role of Trade & Businesswomen’s Networks and Gender Mainstreaming: The Role Entrepreneurs Can Play and Why It Is Important.	Doreen Conrad, Head, ITC Trade in Services Unit conrad@ intracen.org
ICT Training for Cameroon’s Businesswomen ITC/ Commonwealth Secretariat project	Build sustainable training and counselling ser-vices for women entrepreneurs on how to apply practical e-solutions in their business strategies and improve the efficiency of their operations.	Train-the-trainer workshops (July-October 2003) in Cameroon. Training materials for local women entrepreneurs. Four pilot training programmes scheduled for 2004 to train at least 80 women entrepreneurs.	Lilia Naas, ITC Senior Trade Promotion Officer naas@ intracen.org
Programme for Building African Capacity for Trade - Gender Component ITC/Trade Facilitation Office Canada project	Improve trade support institutions’ capacity to support exporters by expanding their portfolio of services, drawing from the ‘toolbox’ of ITC and TFOC trade development services.	Regional initiative on gender involving up to 15 African countries, to result in technical assistance programmes for women’s business communities, building on existing training capacities, structures and networks. (First phase: January 2004-March 2005.)	Elizabeth Merz, ITC Senior Trade Promotion Officer merz@ intracen.org
World Directory of Women Entrepreneurs Associations (2002)	Facilitate contacts between associations of women entrepreneurs, particularly in developing and transition economies. Help entrepreneurs access information sources and support.	Directory with contact details, information on the association, sectors of activities and services offered. Trilingual. Available on CD-Rom and in hard copy.	Lilia Naas, ITC Senior Trade Promotion Officer naas@ intracen.org
Directory of Sources of Financing for SMEs (2002)	Provide entrepreneurs, particularly women, with information about financing institutions and their services locally and in potential export markets.	Listing of 239 institutions from 100 countries including developed, developing and transition economies. Contact details and information for each institution, along with information on bank and insurance products offered and the institution’s specific requirements for granting credits. Available on CD-Rom and in hard copy.	Lilia Naas, ITC Senior Trade Promotion Officer naas@ intracen.org
*Trade Forum* magazine on women and trade development	Advocate on behalf of women entrepreneurs in trade; raise awareness of specific constraints; profile solutions; highlight national and international contacts.	Case studies - women-owned firms; business associations; national strategies. Recommendations to bring businesswomen of developing countries into the mainstream. Partnership listings and contacts. Accompanying outreach programme to disseminate conclusions and encourage partnerships in their use. Magazine and related materials available in English, French and Spanish, in print and online: www.tradeforum.org	Natalie Domeisen, ITC Senior Public Information Officer domeisen@ intracen.org
ITC Group on Gender and Trade Development	Mainstream gender perspectives in ITC technical cooperation activities; exchange information; coordinate and monitor approaches.	Forum for trends, events, initiatives.	Sabine Meitzel, ITC Focal Point meitzel@ intracen.org

UN system and other international initiatives

Organization	Remarks
Economic and Financial Committee, UN General Assembly	Sustainable development and international economic cooperation: women in development - Report to UN General Assembly, 58th session, A/58/483/Add.1 (http://www.un.org/ga/58/documentation/list4.html)
UN Task Force on Gender and Trade (Set up by the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality - IANWGE) http://www. un-gender-trade.org	Purpose: Mainstream gender in trade and trade policy Enhance synergies among UN bodies Members: Led by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, includes all UN Regional Commissions, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organization, International Trade Centre, International Telecommunications Union, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment Programme, UN Industrial Development Organization, UN Development Fund for Women, UN Research Institute for Social Development, World Bank, World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization. Other non-UN agencies will join the Task Force
UN Task Force on Gender and ICTs (Set up by IANWGE) http://www.un.org/ womenwatch /ianwge/activities/ tfgenderict.htm	Purpose: Establish an inventory of activities of all UN organizations in the area of gender and ICTs Establish and monitor a systemwide strategy to include a gender perspective for the World Summit on the Information Society Work on guidelines to advise IANWGE members on making their projects on ICTs gender-sensitive *Members:* UNIFEM, UNDP, World Bank, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), ITC, FAO and UN Volunteers (UNV) with ITU as Task Manager *Initiative related to women and trade:* ' Compendium of Projects on Gender and ICTs within the UN System - Hosted by INSTRAW (http://www.un-instraw.org/en/research/ianwge/index.html)
UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) http://www.unifem.org	Initiatives related to women and trade: Trade Liberalization and Women - Information on trade issues and their impact on women (http://www.unifem.org/trade/index.htm) Economic Security and Rights: Gender and Trade in the Field - UNIFEM activities (http://www.unifem.org/index.php?f_page_pid=17) Women Entrepreneurs Forum - Case studies and other information (http://www.unifem.org/index.php? f_page_pid=147)
ILO (International Labour Organization)	Initiatives related to women and trade: Women’s Entrepreneurship Development and Gender Equality unit - Develops support services for women entrepreneurs; at national level, researches strategic and practical needs of women entrepreneurs, and shares findings with policy-makers (http://www.ilo.org/dyn/empent/empent.portal? p_lang=EN&p_prog=S&p_subprog=WE) The Kingston Declaration (2003) - Recommendations to strengthen women-owned firms (http://www.ilocarib.org.tt/meetings/ cawe_kingston_declaration.pdf)
ITU (International Telecommunications Union)	Initiative related to women and trade: First Cyberforum of Women Entrepreneurs from Africa and the Diaspora - Summary report and recommendations for women in small and micro enterprises (http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ecdc/ ASAFEcyberforum/report.html)
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) http://www.oecd.org	Initiatives related to women and trade: Conferences on women entrepreneurs - Resulted in recommendations to OECD members and non-members Bologna Charter for SMEs - Refers to women entrepreneurs. In 2004, OECD will host another ministerial meeting for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with more involvement of women entrepreneurs
OWIT (Organization of Women in International Trade) http://www. owit.org	Purpose: Non-profit professional organization designed to promote women doing business in international trade by providing networking and educational opportunities
IGTN (International Gender and Trade Network)	Initiative related to women and trade: Economic literacy - Resources on gender and trade (http://www.genderandtrade.net/ EconoLit/Literacy.html)
AABWA (American and African Business Women’s Alliance) http://www. aabwa.com	Purpose: Businesswomen’s organization focusing on developing skills in women that result in private sector-led trade between Africa and America
GDRC (Global Development Research Centre)	Initiative related to women and trade: Improving Women’s Access to Credit in Community Development Programmes - Links to case studies, projects, research papers and bibliographies on the subject of women’s access to credit (http://www.gdrc.org/icm/wind/wind.html)
DS (Institute for Development Studies)	Initiative related to women and trade: Bridge online - Search engine with links to documents and research on women’s issues in trade development (http://www.ids.ac.uk/bridge/reports_gend_ec.html)

Tanya Quinn-Maguire is responsible for dissemination and monitoring of ITC’s public information materials. She researched and compiled these lists.

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