Today, 33 countries have carried out studies to confirm the main
trade constraints. These studies are a foundation for policy
priorities, and less than five touch on gender-based trade
constraints. Dorothy Tembo, Executive Director of the EIF
Secretariat, reflects on women's changing involvement in trade.
F: Since you've been involved in trade policy, what are
the biggest changes you've witnessed in women's involvement in
trade?
DT: I see the formation of women trade and
business organizations, taking a lead on advocacy of issues of
interest to women in trade and engaging policymakers. These
organizations have also become part and parcel of the national,
regional and multilateral consultative mechanisms.
F: How does your homeland, Zambia, fare in your
assessment?
DT: Zambia, like many African countries, has
felt the effects of not fully valuing the role of Zambian women in
trade and the opportunity they offer in contributing towards
poverty reduction. Much of Zambia's population remains
female-dominated, and women run a large proportion of small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For a long time, the Government
failed to recognize their importance and provide the right policy
framework and incentives to give them a greater role in economic
activities and developmental programmes.
This situation has changed in the last few years, with several
programmes and activities being implemented or under
implementation. A major step was the introduction of the Gender
Unit, housed at Cabinet Office, which was subsequently followed by
creating a Gender Ministry with a full Cabinet Minister. Following
the institutionalization, a gender policy was drawn up and
mainstreamed into the Fifth National Development Plan.
In the last two years the Government has been working on a
Citizens' Economic Empowerment Scheme, which includes specific
resource allocations for women and vulnerable groups.
While a tremendous effort has been made on the policy side, a
lot remains to be addressed in ensuring that the policies are
translated into action. In addition, the budget allocations for
trade-related activities have to match.
© ITC Guide in Hand
F: What do you see as the greatest barriers to more
women entering trade and export businesses?
DT: Lack of financing due to collateral demands
and lack of information on the demand and requirements of export
markets. This is compounded by supply-side constraints in relation
to increasing productivity and consistency in quality.
F: What strengths do you think women can bring to the
trade environment?
DT: They form the majority in a number of
countries and have exhibited business acumen. The potential for
expansion of trade, especially in areas that involve women, is very
much there. Women can contribute through trade to poverty reduction
efforts. Furthermore, in a number of the developing countries,
particularly the southern African region, which I am more familiar
with, most households are headed by women and as such there is a
likely spill-over of benefits that would accrue from trade.
© ITC EIF Group Photo with Pascal Lamy
F: What international policy changes would you like to
see to support more women-owned SMEs?
DT: I would like to see a situation that takes
into account the special circumstances of small firms and provides
supportive administrative and incentive structures that lead to
expansion of women-led enterprises.
It may not always be feasible to put in place women-specific
procedures or regulations. Even where this is not the case, the
general approach should be that it makes it easier for small
businesses to thrive.
F: What are the women trade success stories in your
country?
DT: Women of Zambia have recognized the power
of, and need for, collective bargaining. This is a major success,
as it has resulted in the formation of a number of women's
associations that enhance the advocacy efforts and engagement with
the policymakers. As a result there are more women participating in
trade activities, as members of the National Working Group on
Trade, Sectoral Advisory Groups on commerce, trade and industry,
and agriculture, and the Zambia Development Agency Board of
Directors. Women have now been given an opportunity to participate
in policy decisions and advance their interests.
However, a lot still needs to be done to build capacity to
understand the various trade negotiating issues and their impact in
order to facilitate an appropriate response and articulation of
their interests.
F: What international and national organizations are
making the furthest inroads in helping women in trade?
DT: There are a number of institutions that are
working towards furthering women's inroads in trade. I have been
closely associated with ITC, the Southern African Development
Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and
the UN Industrial Development Organization.
F: What is the future, as you see it, for women in
trade?
DT: If given all the necessary support, women
have a great chance of succeeding in trade. They have in the past
shown resilience in the most challenging situations and succeeded
in penetrating some of the most difficult markets. After all, they
are in the majority in most of the countries, particularly
sub-Saharan Africa.
© ITC EIF (from the left) Tembo,
Pholsena, Francis, Lamy
F: What are the expected high points for delivery in
2009?
DT: Working with all the key partners of the
Enhanced Integrated Framework to commence implementation of the
tier one and some tier two activities. Tier one is aimed at
enhancing capacity of the National Implementation Units and
undertaking some mainstreaming activities, including the
preparation of tier two projects. Tier two projects address
themselves to the production and supply-side of capacity-building
interventions.
F: What are the long-term objectives of the Enhanced
Integrated Framework?
DT: The overall goal is to support integration
of least developed countries into the global trading system in
order to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable
development. This is to be achieved through providing support
towards mainstreaming of trade into development strategies.
DOROTHY TEMBO
Dorothy Tembo joined the secretariat of the Enhanced Integrated
Framework as Executive Director in 2008. She brings firsthand
experience and understanding of its implementation, having served
as Zambia's Chief Trade Negotiator and Director of Foreign Trade
for the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry and Zambia's Focal
Point for the Enhanced Integrated Framework.
Ms Tembo has analysed international trade and development issues
related to her native region of south-eastern Africa and the
Multilateral Trading System as a whole. Her consultancy experience
for other inter-governmental and private sector institutions
includes trade negotiations, economic integration, economic
environmental reviews, trade and industrial policy and investment,
as well as administering trade-related technical assistance
programmes.