Background
The Trade Impact Group (TIG) was established in December 2016 as one of six impact groups under the auspices of the International Gender Champions (IGC). The IGC is a leadership network that brings together female and male decision-makers determined to break down gender barriers and make gender equality a working reality in their spheres of influence. The TIG set out to mobilise the Geneva community to leverage trade to achieve gender quality. In order to do so, a work plan heavily focussed on moving the needle through the WTO was adopted. The Buenos Aires Declaration was a key accomplishment of the TIG. In 2017 at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, the TIG secured support from 127 WTO members and observers for the Declaration, firmly putting the trade and gender agenda on the table. Importantly, the Buenos Aires Declaration paved the way for the establishment of the WTO Informal Working Group (IWG) on Trade and Gender in December 2020.
Leveraging the Private Sector to Deliver Concrete Outcomes for Women
Over the past decade, private sector entities across the globe have established initiatives to support women entrepreneurship and promote women's participation in global trade. In the TIG work plan for 2022–2023, the Group aims to leverage its unique position to work with both policymakers and the private sector to scale up impact for women on the ground. In this regard, the TIG is organising a panel session ‘Applying a Gender Lens to Sustainability Standards’. This session aims to explore the status of gender in sustainability standards: what challenges have various stakeholders encountered in mainstreaming gender into certifications? What opportunities lay ahead? To analyse this from different vantage points, the panel brings together experts from across the private, non-profit, and public sectors.
Objectives
• Raise awareness on the strategies, tools, and systems available to apply a gender lens to sustainability standards in the private sector;
• Increase understanding of the benefits to women workers, corporations, and the governments for adopting a gender lens to standards setting
• Promote the use of gender in sustainability standards among private sector entities and governments Target Stakeholders
• Business leaders, policymakers, and trade organisations
Logistics Date: Friday, 16th December 2022 Venue: Held virtually on Zoom. Click here to register. Time: 10:00 – 11:30 HR Central European Time