In line with Goal 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to achieve gender equality, important advancements were recently made with the adoption of the Joint Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment by 122 members and observers* of the World Trade Organization (WTO) during the Eleventh Ministerial of the WTO in Buenos Aires in December 2017.
The Declaration is the result of a coordinated effort by the International Gender Champions Trade Impact Group, co-chaired by the Government of Iceland, the Government of Sierra Leone and the International Trade Centre.
The Declaration represents a commitment to share best practices and build the evidence base for more inclusive trade. Over the next two years to support the implementation of the Declaration, a series of six seminars will be held on topics including:
- Gender-Based Analysis of Trade Policy, 16 March 2018
- Enhancing Women Entrepreneurs Participation in Public Procurement, June 2018
- Connecting Women Entrepreneurs to International Value Chains, September 2018
- Promoting Financial Inclusion for Women, November 2018
- Women and Trade in Trade Agreements, March 2019
- Women in Digital Trade, July 2019
These exchanges of best practices will result in a guide to help policy-makers, trade and investment institutions, and businesses make trade more gender-responsive. We invite the trade and development community to join in the discussion towards more inclusive trade.
The Declaration
>>> Download the Declaration here:
It is also available en français and en español.
*122 member states and observers, including: Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, European Union member states (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyrus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom), Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (Republic of), Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Zambia*