Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender reviews 2024 achievements on advancing equality

The Co-Chairs of the Informal Working Group — Ambassador Clara Delgado of Cabo Verde, Ambassador Patricia Benedetti of El Salvador and Ambassador Simon Manley of the United Kingdom — said that the adoption of the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration with a dedicated paragraph on trade and gender at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (WT/MIN(24)/W/12/Rev.1) was a pivotal achievement for the IWG. “This paragraph is of crucial importance, as it gives a ministerial mandate to the WTO to work on trade and gender, as recognized by some members at the IWG meeting held right after MC13,” said Ambassador Manley.

The Co-Chairs also highlighted the launch of a new policy tool supporting the financial inclusion of women entrepreneurs — the Compendium of Financial Inclusion Initiatives prepared in collaboration with the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). The compendium is available in the form of a database prepared by the WTO Secretariat. The Co-Chairs also spotlighted the International Prize on Gender Equality in Trade, which will be awarded annually to recognize impactful gender-responsive trade policies.

The success of the IWG’s “sharing experience” sessions was also emphasized. In 2024, members presented various initiatives, such as the Gender-Responsive Trade Action Group Agreement (GTAGA) and the gender-related activities of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the G20. They also presented their efforts to integrate gender chapters into trade agreements. In addition, they discussed women's leadership and strategies to promote women's economic opportunities through trade. The IWG’s collaboration with the MSME Working Group continued with a joint workshop on women-led businesses and intellectual property held back-to-back with the IWG meeting.

Winners of the International Prize on Gender Equality in Trade

Presentations by the five winners of the International Prize on Gender Equality in Trade showcased innovative approaches to empowering women through trade. Pakistan’s Khadijah Program provides women entrepreneurs with support to access international markets. Spain’s DESAFÍA San Francisco Program supports women-led start-ups to scale up globally through tailored immersion programmes.

Chile outlined its gender chapters in trade agreements promoting equitable policies, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship. Colombia’s She Exports to Africa connects women-led businesses with African markets, while Australia’s Investing in Women Program advances workplace gender equality and promotes “gender lens” investments in Southeast Asia. Together, these initiatives have highlighted how targeted strategies foster inclusivity in global trade.

Updates from members

Australia highlighted its initiatives under the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) and the Katalis Program, which focuses on trade and investment in healthcare, care for the elderly and early childhood education to expand opportunities for women in the care economy.

Brazil shared its G20 initiatives, including the Elas Exportam mentorship programme for women exporters and a compendium of good practices addressing barriers in trade. These updates illustrated how member-driven efforts align with the IWG's broader objectives to promote gender equality in international trade.

Presentations

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Secretariat introduced a new recommendation (General Recommendation No. 40), adopted in October 2024, which advocates for 50:50 gender parity in decision-making systems, emphasizing its significance for trade and economic governance. Key challenges include women’s under-representation in leadership roles and unequal access to trade opportunities, it stressed. GR40 promotes structural reforms, such as quotas and gender-responsive policies, to dismantle systemic barriers and foster inclusive economic growth.

The WTO Secretariat provided an update on its work in 2024, including training an additional 70 officials on gender-responsive trade policymaking and launching the WTO Youth Talent Incubator Programme to empower future leaders. Preparations for the 2025 World Trade Congress on Gender are well underway, it said, following an international call for research papers on the theme “Gender Equality and Innovation — the Keys to Sustainable Trade.”

Jointly organized by the WTO, the WTO Gender Research Hub, and UN Women, the Congress Steering Committee has received 176 submissions from 66 countries, with a strong focus on groundbreaking ideas from developing economies exploring how gender equality and innovation intersect to drive inclusive and sustainable trade.

The Secretariat also pointed to its strengthened partnerships with UN Women and the CEDAW Secretariat. A detailed 2024 activity report will be released in December to maintain transparency, it announced.

Looking ahead

The Co-Chairs concluded the meeting by thanking members for their contributions throughout the year. They also emphasized the importance of sustaining momentum in 2025. Plans include developing new policy tools for gender-responsive trade, deepening collaboration and continuing to highlight exemplary initiatives.

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