United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women
ITC Launches a Plan of Action for the Integration of Women in Trade Promotion and Export Development
The Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women makes specific reference to the need for promoting women's economic self-reliance and access to economic opportunities (Chapter IV, Section F) and in this context singles out the need for technical cooperation with women entrepreneurs in trade promotion. The System-wide medium plan, 1996-2001, on the advancement of women (SWMTP) provides the general framework for the UN system to translate the objectives of the Platform into action. In this regard, the International Trade Centre was requested to contribute to defining a coordinated plan of action under Section F of the Platform, following up on its contribution to the shaping of the trade-related aspects of the Platform. This plan of action forms the basis of ITC's contribution to the SWMTP.
Objectives: To promote the development of the entrepreneurship among women and the creation of employment opportunities for women in the foreign trade sector.
Through: Ensuring the gender dimension is fully reflected in activities undertaken in the six core service areas of ITC.
A pipeline of programmes and projects that responds to those strategic objectives outlined in the Platform pertaining to ITC's mandate and core service areas.
The plan of action comprises multi- and monodisciplinary programmes and projects designed to facilitate the integration of women into mainstream trade development and promotion. A selection is presented below:
- Facilitation access of women's trade associations to trade information and business development services
- Developing and upgrading women entrepreneurs' business skills
- Regional programme of buyers/sellers meetings for businesswomen
- Promotion of export-oriented investment for women in business
- Regional programme of assistance for women entrepreneurs in the context of the new international trade environment (ongoing for Africa)
- Handbook on women entrepreneurship and trade (ongoing)
- Trade-related entrepreneurship assistance and development for women in India (preparatory phase is ongoing)
- Assistance to the 31st December Women's Movement of Ghana in export trade planning, development and promotion
- Trade assistance to women entrepreneurs in Guinea Bissau
For more information contact: Ingrid I. Vanore-Speer
Director, Division of Technical Cooperation Coordination
ITC-GITD programme
Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland
Fax: (41-22) 733 44 39