Women and trade

Trade can dramatically improve women's lives, creating new jobs, enhancing consumer choice, and increasing women's bargaining power in society. It can also lead to job losses and a concentration of work in low-skilled employment. Given the complexity and specificity of the relationship between trade and gender, it is of utmost importance to assess the potential impact of trade policy on both women and men and to develop appropriate, evidence-based responses and policies to ensure that trade contributes to enhancing opportunities for all.

Research on gender equality and trade has been held back by limited data and a lack of understanding of the connections between the economic roles women play as workers, consumers, and decision makers. Building on new analysis and new sex-disaggregated data, Women and Trade: The Role of Trade in Promoting Gender Equality aims to advance understanding of the relationship between trade and gender equality and to identify a series of opportunities through which trade can improve the lives of women.