Gender and Trade

Programme Description

Economic and social development has contributed to narrowing the gender gap in many areas, such as primary education. These shifts, in many ways, were the results of focused polices and budget allocation for gender equality, which, in turn, were often the outcome of feminist movements. Trade policy is not gender neutral. The distributional outcomes of trade vary between women and men, since they play different roles in society and in the economy, and they enjoy different opportunities. Moreover, women are not a homogeneous group and, therefore, they are differently impacted by trade depending on their income, position in the labour market, educational level, ethnicity, etc. If trade policies are designed without taking into account varied outcomes, including gender specific outcomes, they risk magnifying existing gender gaps instead of bridging them. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how trade policies can become inclusive and beneficial for all and contribute to women’s economic empowerment. However, a key consideration to keep in mind is that a more gender equal world cannot be achieved without coherence and cooperation between policies and stakeholders. Without adequate education, access to productive resources – such as land and credit, and time availability, women will not be able to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by expanded trade.