Trade can play an important role in driving women’s economic empowerment but we need a more inclusive trading system that will allow more women to participate in trade and to reap the economic benefits of global trading. 

This week, I am attending my final international event as the President of OWIT Nairobi. As I join thought-leaders who have convened here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for SheTrades Global 2019, I am excited to be part of discussions to ‘chart the next milestone in transforming the global agenda on women and trade.’ 

2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and two years since the launch of Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment. Significant efforts have been made to speed up progress on women’s participation in the economy and trade. To move the needle, collaborative and innovative strategies are necessary to ensure systematic and sustainable change. 
 
SheTrades Global will feature talks by high-level officials of the African Union Commission and Government of Ethiopia as well as conversations with Trade Ministers, first ladies, and core private sector partners. Themes that will be discussed include how free trade agreements catalyse more inclusive trade for women, with a spotlight on the African Continental Free Trade Area; innovative tools that promote trade and women’s economic empowerment such as the SheTrades Outlook; and priorities that SheTrades private sector partners are acting upon. 

~ ITC She Trades 

We have heard it said time & time again, women play a major role in the global economy. They invest more in their families than men do, in areas such as education, health and nutrition, creating a secure foundation for the future of their families and communities. Empowering women economically, through international trade, creates job opportunities for everyone 

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) generate approximately 50% of global GDP and 70% of employment. Women own close to 10 million of the world’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The benefits of trade to women-owned businesses are significant – and so are the benefits to the broader economy from greater engagement in international trade by women. Increasing the competitiveness of women-owned businesses will also boost the likelihood of creating jobs. According to research by McKinsey, advancing women’s equality could add $28 trillion to global GDP by 2025.  

Platforms like SheTrades & forums like SheTrades Global provide women in business with the opportunity to build capacity to trade across borders, build networks that support business growth & participate in workshops, trade fairs and other business events. The SheTrades initiative seeks to connect three million women entrepreneurs to market by 2021. 

OWIT Nairobi is proud to partner with ITC to promote the advancement of women in international trade. 

With love, 
Mucha Mlingo 
President, OWIT Nairobi
Founder, PTS Africa
Emotional Intelligence Practitioner

At OWIT Nairobi, we have a vision to empower women to transform communities through global trade. We are committed to creating opportunities for women to connect to global markets. As a Business Support Organisation, we work closely with our members to ensure access to the necessary tools to build businesses that can go global. 

For more information about OWIT Nairobi – visit our website, www.owitnairobi.org