Gender-Responsive Trade Facilitation for Women in Central Asia: Crossing borders, breaking barriers

Women involved in international trade in Central Asia face multiple barriers hindering their competitiveness and growth. Challenges include lack of information and knowledge about cross-border trade, difficulty accessing finance and insufficient confidence and skills in trade, advocacy and digital solutions.

This report, based on interviews, trainings and surveys across five Central Asian countries, identifies key obstacles and suggests strategies to tackle them. Recommendations for the public and private sectors to empower women traders range from boosting transparency in trade procedures and adopting digital solutions to embedding gender sensitivity into trade facilitation reforms.