Women and trade

12 December 2023
With support from the EIF, Zambia intensified its trade growth and diversification efforts directed at different levels to achieve systemic improvements. These were: first, on strengthening linkages to both the private sector and the Government around key products, such as honey; second, on building the institutional capacity of the Government and trade-related organizations, mainstreaming trade in the country’s development framework, and improving the trade regulatory environment; and third, exploring new markets for Zambian products.
17 August 2023 - Simon Hess
EIF support contributed significantly to policy reviews, alignment of legislation, development of consumer protection standards, and enhancing the capacity of sector stakeholders, including through recruitment of technical staff.
15 August 2023
The partnership between The Gambia and the EIF began with country-led evidence‑based research and analysis to identify its pro-poor trade priorities. The resulting policy-guiding document – the 2007 Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) – identified diversification and domestic production of goods and services in the areas of tourism, groundnuts and other agriculture products and fishing as sectors with the potential to spur sustainable development.
18 July 2023
The Government of Benin established a partnership with the EIF in 2003, embarking on the development of a Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) and Action Matrix, along with evidence‑based and government-led analysis of constraints and opportunities for making trade work for economic prosperity and poverty reduction. The DTIS was completed in 2005, with an update ten years later. Together, the studies have provided a roadmap for progress toward the goal of supporting small businesses to trade and develop the kinds of jobs that improve lives and spur sustainable economic development.
8 March 2023 - Ratnakar Adhikari
There are three key advantages that e-commerce offers to women. First, it offers lower barriers to entry than traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. Second, it can enable women entrepreneurs to reach customers all over the world. Third, it offers a degree of flexibility in terms of work hours and location.
9 August 2022
Building evidence does not only happen through research and analysis; it also comes from sharing experiences. For example, EIF support has been directed to sectors in which women are predominantly engaged, so female-owned businesses can expand and access new regional and global markets. Responses to the M&E exercise indicate a wide recognition that these efforts result in strengthening women’s economic and financial independence.
Women are 14 times more likely to die from a climate disaster than men. Despite being face-to-face with the problem, women are often not part of the solution.
21 September 2021 - Deanna Ramsay
Small businesses are receiving support to access much-needed finance
7 September 2021 - Deanna Ramsay
Support efforts include new tools, from the tangible to the abstract
19 August 2021
The multimillion-dollar shea industry is booming in French-speaking Africa. With the right support, there is a lot of room for the sector to grow and for rural women to benefit.
22 June 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the trade ecosystem for women in the developing world  
25 May 2021 - Deanna Ramsay
More training, more links to buyers of rural arts means more income for women
4 February 2021 - Emeline Wuilbercq
Originally published by Thompson Reuters Foundation News on 22 December 2020
15 December 2020 - Global Shea Alliance
Public-private partnership to boost incomes in shea.
1 December 2020 - Dr. Fahmida Khatun
In Bangladesh, COVID-19 is impacting the female labour force more
5 October 2020 - Deanna Ramsay
Breaking ground with new ideas and new partnerships in two African countries
1 October 2020 - Maria Sokolova
In trade for development, more female trainers could make a big difference
30 September 2020 - Deanna Ramsay
Artisan handbag maker taking her enterprise forward, and receiving new financing
29 September 2020 - Michelle Kovacevic
Most of Rwanda’s cross border traders are women and rely on cross-border trade as their sole source of income. According to a recent assessment by Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe, the Rwandan umbrella organisation for women’s associations, most cross border traders have experienced not only a large loss in revenue due to border closures but also a complete depletion of their savings.
Women workers in global value chains have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
29 July 2020 - Michelle Kovacevic
Recently launched ecommerce training program and portal will help hundreds of women entrepreneurs in South Asian LDCs become part of regional and global supply chains.
Women’s specific needs and potential as leaders and agents of change must be considered for COVID-19 mitigation and recovery measures.
2 July 2020 - Candice White
New tool offers actions to tackle the barriers to trade that women face
25 June 2020 - Global Shea Alliance
Shea is critical to the income of rural communities, and a new effort across four shea-producing countries in West Africa is looking to boost those incomes
15 June 2020 - Houria Djoudi
How to ensure the women who collect shea benefit from being part of the global marketplace
25 May 2020
Originally published in World Economic Forum Agenda on 24 April 2020
20 April 2020 - Michelle Kovacevic
Taking traditional African prints and making them modern, a female entrepreneur is aiming to go global – armed with the right business tools
9 April 2020 - Trudi Hartzenberg
Poverty, inequality and exclusion are key factors contributing to the devastating effects of COVID-19 on all African countries.
2 March 2020 - Deanna Ramsay
The Trade Experettes founder discusses the blossoming global network of female experts from ‘all walks of trade’
17 January 2020 - Deanna Ramsay
Having identified this potential through analysis of the country’s trade situation, the Government of Niger and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) have been working to lay the foundations for trade in hides and leather that is formalized and up to standard, and in which citizens can share in the proceeds.
18 November 2019 - Michelle Kovacevic
Opportunities and challenges abound for Zambia entrepreneurs eyeing new markets
29 October 2019
See how Vanuatu is recovering from the effects of Cyclone Pam, and how one handicrafts seller is striving for "Vanuatu made" to become the norm.
22 October 2019 - Deanna Ramsay
Then Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade, Ann Linde (now Minister for Foreign Affairs) discusses supporting developing country exports and the need to close the gender gap
23 September 2019 - Deanna Ramsay
On the sidelines of the Aid for Trade Global Review 2019, The Gambia’s Vice President discusses the potential of women in trade
18 September 2019 - Amelia Kyambadde Ratnakar Adhikari
Originally published by Thomson Reuters Foundation News on 11 September 2019
9 September 2019 - Deanna Ramsay
Empowerment and markets are on this Ugandan woman’s agenda
1 July 2019 - Deanna Ramsay
Originally published by World Economic Forum Agenda on 24 June 2019
Aid for trade can support women’s economic empowerment, which is key to sustainable development.
4 April 2019 - Michelle Kovacevic
Businesswomen creating a united front in Rwanda and the DRC
TOKYO – 23 MARCH 2019 – Across the world’s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), women continue to face constraints that limit their participation in trade.
13 December 2018 - Michelle Kovacevic
EIF has been working with hundreds of entrepreneurs for the past few years, to help them build and implement strategies for brand promotion, participate in regional and international trade fairs, improve in processing capabilities and value addition as well as provide support to cooperatives
7 December 2018 - Deanna Ramsay
Following a recent visit to Rwanda with EIF, Netherlands Ambassador to the WTO and LDC Sub-Committee Chair Monique van Daalen discusses seeing the country’s cross border trade efforts in person, as well as the country’s policy in action
26 October 2018 - Deanna Ramsay
Launch of country’s SheTrades initiative to focus on agriculture and textile industries
13 August 2018 - Deanna Ramsay
In Comoros, an essential oils doyenne has plans for her country’s unique yields
19 July 2018 - Deanna Ramsay
The Government is targeting its precious ylang-ylang, vanilla and cloves – key cash crops with global demand. Through the partnership with EIF, cooperatives, trainings for female entrepreneurs like Houria and small business support in the form of vats, labels and processing items have laid the foundation for increased trade for the country.
17 July 2018
Representatives from LDCs had the unique opportunity to pitch new investment opportunities that support inclusive trade to the experts, and received immediate feedback
13 July 2018
This session gathered ministers from LDCs and global leaders to discuss implementation of trade strategies and national-level plans in light of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
9 July 2018 - Deanna Ramsay
We need to be in the driver's seat of economic growth because it's important for us and for the next generation, and is the right pathway to trade with other countries. It's my duty to start doing some of the homework to facilitate trade
In this issue: "Samoa's coconuts go global," "Taking female-led businesses from local to global," and "Women at the helm of Senegal's mango industry"
29 April 2018 - Daria Shatskova
On 5 April the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) opened its doors to welcome over 500 participants, including government officials, private sector, civil society and academia, to brainstorm on what needs to be done to empower 4.6 billion women and youth worldwide.
20 March 2018 - Simon Hess Deanna Ramsay
Women entrepreneurs are helping to restore island nation’s economy after the ravages of Cyclone Pam
14 March 2018 - Anoush der Boghossian
Originally published in International Trade Forum
8 March 2018 - Simon Hess
EIF Coordinators Hang Tran and Simon Hess interview Wanjira Mathai of wPOWER partnership on women's entrepreneurship in renewables
8 March 2018
International Women's Day discussion highlights the need for entrepreneurship and markets, and what comes next The flashing images show women from across the world at work – in fields and offices, on boats and streets, at home and abroad.
18 February 2018
“Coconuts are both culturally and economically important to Samoans,” says Alberta Vitale, Associate Director of Samoa’s Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI).
1 February 2018
Rosalie is not just any market mama. She is the founder of Bulvanua Arts & Handicrafts – a cooperative of 30 traders who are promoting Made in Vanuatu products in place of imports.
13 December 2017
Rosalie’s day starts at 4 a.m., kneading coconut cream rolls with her eldest daughter to sell at the local community shop down the road from her house.
26 November 2017
Aminata Dominique Diouf was seven years old when her father bought a small farm 15 minutes from the Senegal-Gambia border.
21 November 2017
Executive Director of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Ratnakar Adhikari discusses the impact EIF has on the lives and livelihoods of women in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).     
Meet a young woman from Cambodia who received silk production training through an EIF project
Chandra and her 25 colleagues from her women's association take a break from the day's farming business to hold a meeting on their ginger business prospects and the stiff market competition they face with India's value-added ginger.
New UNCTAD-EIF study of the fisheries sector in The Gambia shows trade policies have to be inclusive if they are to reduce poverty