ITC provides a wealth of information and resources on trade for businesses in developing countries. The tools below (some of them joint projects with other organisations, such as the WTO, UNCTAD, World Bank Group, are intended to explore and facilitate trade with other countries.
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We provide tailored support, aligned with national objectives, to grow trade opportunities for micro, small and medium businesses in developing countries.
<p> </p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>This session will present the results from the second study conducted by ITC and FAO in the fisheries value chains. It will focus on the challenges women face and offer recommendations for women entrepreneurs in the sector.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
<p>The online training programme, co-designed with ITC experts from Sector and Economic Competitiveness (SEC) and Trade and Market Intelligence (TMI), will be implemented in collaboration with private sector partners. The training aims to: </p><ul><li>Assess the women-led businesses’ readiness to export to under the AfCFTA;</li><li>Increase their knowledge of export requirements, procedures, and solutions.</li><li>Increase their capacity to develop an export strategy.</li><li>Enhance their capacity for production, processing, promotion, marketing, and value chain development under the AfCFTA.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Target audience: Formal women-led businesses in the processed food sector interested in starting or increasing exports to African markets. </p>
<p>ITC SheTrades in collaboration with UNCTAD are organizing online policy dialogues on the AfCFTA. The policy dialogue on “International Investment and the Transmission of Gender Policies and Practices ”. The aim of the session is to discuss state of the art research and policy options on the role of foreign investment and Multinational Enterprises, in promoting inclusive development through strategic actions to address women's empowerment and gender equality – contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. </p><p> </p><p>Key issues to discuss include:</p><ul><li>What MNEs strategies can influence inclusive development in host countries? </li><li>What are the drivers/challenges faced by MNEs when devising strategies for inclusive development? </li><li>What role do other stakeholders (public and private) play in MNEs strategies for gender equality? </li><li>What is the role of investment facilitation?</li></ul><p>How can regional integration help?</p>
<p>This session will discuss the significance of Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) for female professionals seeking to expand their businesses, how they work in practice drawing on examples from both Africa and Asia. Furthermore, the session will offer recommendations regarding key priority areas aimed at optimizing MRAs for female professionals</p>
<p>ITC will conduct policy dialogues in partnership with other international organisations. The policy dialogues aim to: </p><ul><li>Improve African WBAs and their members’ understanding of the AfCFTA state of play and opportunities;</li><li>Increase women entrepreneurs’ capacity to trade under the GTI; and</li><li>Enable WBAs to share and discuss priorities for policy advocacy. </li></ul><p>Target audience: Continental Network of African WBAs and their members </p><p>This session will showcase findings from studies conducted within the soybean-to-poultry value chains by ITC and FAO. It addresses the challenges encountered and provides recommendations tailored for women entrepreneurs operating in this sector.</p>
Making the AfCFTA work for women entrepreneurs and producers
A 2020 ITC survey of 70 African women's business associations found that 70% of them have not been meaningfully involved in negotiations and their members are not taking advantage of existing regional trade agreements.
To make the AfCFTA work for women, SheTrades adopts a four-pronged approach to engage with African women and their business associations, and to promote their participation in and shaping of the AfCFTA:
Developed 9 policy briefs on priorities for women in trade facilitation, non-tariff barriers, standards, trade in services, ICTs & digital trade, strengthening women’s associations, investment, competition, intellectual property, and e-commerce.
Published 44 recommendations on Phase I issues for women in the AfCFTA
Mobilized more than 50 women’s business associations across the continent
Organized peer-to-peer and knowledge-sharing sessions
Kicked-off the development of a formal network
Supported women’s business associations with training on sustainable business development models, governance of associations, service portfolio development, and risk management
Bolstered policy advocacy skills
Provided technical assistance and capacity building on gender-mainstreaming into AfCFTA national strategies
Supported national-level consultations on gender issues and the AfCFTA
A 2020 ITC survey of 70 African women's business associations found that 70% of them have not been meaningfully involved in negotiations…
<p><span lang="EN-GB">Given the AfCFTA's potential to foster regional value chains and its ambition to encompass goods, services, intellectual property, competition and investment, it is critical that women are well-positioned to seize opportunities in regional trade. </span><span lang="EN-GB">The project,<strong> SheTrades: Empowering Women in the African Continental Free Trade Area—Phase II, </strong>contributes to <strong>ITC One Trade Africa strategy</strong> on African regional integration. It aims to empower women entrepreneurs<span> </span>to benefit from trade opportunities created by the AfCFTA. The project will help design a more inclusive AfCFTA by providing women’s business associations with capacity-building, networking platforms and support for effective policy advocacy on AfCFTA Phase II issues; leveraging the private sector to foster women’s economic empowerment through the AfCFTA; working with ECOWAS to strengthen the ecosystem for women; and promoting public private sector dialogues on women and trade across selected countries. </span></p>
