International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, recognises that supporting women owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for generating economic growth and contributing to poverty reduction.
ITC SheTrades aims to foster change by going beyond the traditional approach of merely improving the quality of women’s products and services. Instead, it sets out to engage all actors involved in women’s economic empowerment including governments, the private sector and civil society.
Together with partners, ITC had identified seven global actions to tackle key challenges, unlock markets and create an enabling business environment for women entrepreneurs. Based on this blueprint, ITC launched the SheTrades initiative in 2015 which aims to connect 3 million women entrepreneurs to international markets by 2021.
SheTrades in Trinidad and Tobago
This launch is the culmination of more than a year of behind the scenes work between the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), exporTT and the ITC. It began when Senator the Honorable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry and the MTI team attended the country’s 4th Trade Policy review at the WTO in Geneva in May 2019. On a courtesy visit to the ITC to meet Caribbean friends, they learnt about the global project. On their return to Trinidad, T&T’s interest in the initiative was communicated and work began towards establishing our local Hub.
4 National Priority Actions
What is unique about this initiative?
Playing a central role in catalyzing gender-responsive policies
Harnessing gender-lens investment
Pioneering innovative tools and methodologies
ITC SheTrades has generated a pipeline of
over 30 impact investors, committing over 75
million USD to gender-lens investment.
ITC SheTrades has leveraged technologyto close the gender gap by connecting over 20,000 women entrepreneurs and trade partners on a free-to-use web and mobile app, SheTrades.com
Highlighting women as economic actors
Multi-faceted approach to training and skills development
Strong network of women entrepreneurs and stakeholders
ITC SheTrades has generated over $100 million of trade opportunities for women since 2010, and is on track to connect 3 million women entrepreneurs to markets by 2021.
ITC SheTrades adopts a tailored approach to capacity building, that is developed to match the unique needs and challenges faced by women-owned businesses. Additionally, our e-learning platforms, available as public goods, are fostering learning opportunities for anyone registered on shetrades.com. Mentoring, clinics and workshops are delivered on a weekly basis.
ITC SheTrades works closely with over 250 institutions and stakeholders across the globe, including corporations, export and investment promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, financial institutions etc., with a network of over 1.5 million women entrepreneurs.