Women who rock international trade

Drawing upon the GTPA’s recent campaign to highlight the importance of Women in Trade this session will feature prominent leaders in trade who are not only lifting the lift awareness of women already leading the way in supporting this cause but to also discuss initiatives to support and drive greater engagement by women as business leaders and encourage their participation in global markets.

At this session the GTPA and the Enhanced Integrated Framework will also introduce the Seven Summits Challenge for Global Trade and Supply Chain Professionals. A new initiative to support the empowerment and ongoing professional development of trade professionals around the world.

This session is designed to be an interactive panel discussion with all who attend. The GTPA and the EIF invite delegates to share examples of current initiatives and policy settings as part of the general discussion.

This panel will discuss the following topics and draw on practical case studies and initiatives to support LDCs:

• Educational initiatives to support building the capacity and capability of women entrepreneurs in LDCs;
• The role of eCommerce and digital technologies as a mechanism to empower and engage women entrepreneurs to trade globally;
• The importance of mentoring and networking programmes to support women entrepreneurs in LDCs;
• The importance of building Gender policy as part of trade policy initiatives in LDCs;
• Supporting the development of women trade professionals in LDCs into careers such as trade policy, trade regulation and compliance, trade and supply chain finance and trade management. Including pathways for professional ISO certification and executive leadership programmes;
• Improving the role of gender policy as part of the Trade Facilitation Agreement and what initiatives could governments consider as part of improving gender policy in Trade Facilitation and Digitisation;
• The importance of building sound research to ensure governments implement research from the business community that incorporates the voice of women in trade on trade facilitation barriers and challenges;

Event details

Date: Thursday 4th July 2019
Time: 9.00-10.00am
Location: WTO Aid for Trade Global Review- Geneva

Confirmed speakers:

• Lisa McAuley, CEO - Global Trade Professionals Alliance (GTPA)
• Annette Ssemuwemba, Deputy Director, Executive Secretariat - Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF)
• Anoush der Boghossian, WTO Trade and Gender Focal Point, Economic Affairs Officer, Aid for Trade Unit - Development Division - World Trade Organization
• Mona Shrestha Adhikari, PhD, Executive Director, Enterprise for Management, Economic Reform and Gender Equality (EMERGE)
• Niels Strazdins, Head of Trade Policy- Global Trade Professionals Alliance (GTPA)
• Jim Redden, Director, Trade and Development for the Economic Development Services Pty Ltd and Senior Lecturer & Visiting Fellow for the Institute for International Trade & the International Business School at the University of Adelaide
• Ms Frances Lisson, Australian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization