Gender and Trade: Overview Report

The aim of the report is to provide an overview of the links between trade, gender and development. The report is aimed at trade, development and GAD (Gender and Development) actors and is a means to ensue that the trade and gender equality agenda support each other. The author provides substantial arguments and evidence for why gender should be taken into account in trade policies by looking at the historical context of trade agreements in relation to women and then both the broad gendered impacts of trade liberalisation and the gender impacts of sectors such as agriculture, property rights and services. The report highlights successful examples and best practices, which reveal that gender-aware trade policies can successfully support the achievement of gender equality goals and accelerate economic growth and sustainable development. The author also looks at the trade framework that has been used up to now and concludes that trade policies need to incorporate a human rights framework and political economy approach in order to provide a gender-aware conceptual framework for trade. The report ends with a list of strategic and practical recommendations for stakeholders, civil society, women’s organisations and policy makers in trade. These recommendations include ways in which to advance gender research and analysis, promote the rights and participation of women in trade policy, and achieve gender sensitive trade programs.