International Organizations and Networks Supporting Women in Trade

The TradeExperettes

TradeExperettes is a network of women trade experts from around the world. It is a membership-based organisation that welcomes individuals of all gender identities/expressions interested in supporting women’s voices in international trade research and policy-making. 

Organization of Women in Trade (OWIT)

OWIT’s goal is to foster international trade and the advancement of women in business. Its network provides a collective forum to support education, to facilitate information exchange and to promote networking. In pursuing these goals, OWIT strives to provide a rewarding volunteer environment, to stay at the forefront of trade and technological developments, and to build partnerships and alliances with peer organizations and associations.

SheTrades – An International Trade Centre (ITC) Initiative

The International Trade Centre‘s SheTrades Initiative targets all stakeholders across the trade and business ecosystem to provide women entrepreneurs and producers with access to key knowledge, resources, and networks. We also support policymakers on inclusive policy reforms, and leverage public and private sector partnerships to amplify the impact of our work.

Women and Trade – World Trade Organization (WTO) Programs and Initiatives

The World Trade Organization has a range of programs, initiatives and workstreams on supporting women’s economic empowerment. WTO members work directly on this issue through the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, and the Secretariat has an action plan on trade and gender, including the launch in May 2021 of the Gender Research Hub. The WTO also supports members through capacity building work on trade and gender.

Gender Equality – UNCTAD’s Work

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) promotes gender mainstreaming as a key element to achieving inclusive and sustainable development through research, capacity building and policy advice. Through its e-learning programme, UNCTAD equips participants with the knowledge to analyse the two-way relationship between trade and gender, and to formulate gender-equitable policies.

International Gender Champions (IGC)

The International Gender Champions is a leadership network that brings together decision-makers determined to break down gender barriers and make gender equality a working reality in their spheres of influence.

UN Women

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.


This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you are an organization working with women in trade and would like to be added, please do get in touch with us at: comms@genevatradeplatform.org