In the framework of the 68th Commission of the Status of Women (CSW68), UNCTAD will organize the side event “Empowering Women Through Trade: Breaking barriers and transforming subsistence into value chain participation.”

Trade can play a pivotal role in facilitating women's transition from subsistence to sustainability by opening up opportunities for economic empowerment and social advancement. In many developing regions, women have traditionally been engaged in small-scale business activities and subsistence farming, with limited access to larger markets. The integration of these women into global and regional value chains would allow them to escape the poverty trap and contribute to the economy with higher-value added activities.

Very often, however, women find themselves involved in the informal or subsistence economy out of survival, participating in activities that may not align with the prospects of becoming integral components of value chains.

The side event will explore the bottlenecks and opportunities that determine women’s capacity to benefit from trade, and will propose solutions and strategic interventions to address the many barriers that stand in the way of women’s active participation in value chains. The event will also discuss approaches to identify key economic activities that have higher potential to be integrated into regional or global value chains, providing avenues for transforming women’s economic participation.

The discussion will look at the challenges faced by women traders, producers, and small entrepreneurs, and will tackle issues such as informality, financial inclusion through digital financial services, and the solutions offered by trade policymaking.

Moderator

Caitlin Kraft-Buchman, CEO / Founder, Women at the Table

Speakers

• Video message and welcoming remarks by Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General, UNCTAD
• Fajarini Puntodewi, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Trade for Business Climate and Inter Institution Relations, Government of Indonesia
• Ann Linde, Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Sweden
• Clara Mi Young Park, Senior Gender Officer, Team Leader, Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division, FAO
• Mariangela Linoci, Economic Affairs Officer, Trade, Gender and Development Programme, UNCTAD
• Jenifer Shapiro, Global Lead - Strategic Initiatives and Business Development, MicroSave Consulting