Funded by the United Kingdom, the project aims to increase the competitiveness of women-owned businesses in international trade by improving the policy environment.
“Africa has the highest concentration of female entrepreneurs in the world, but many have not yet realised their full potential.
“This great new tool will help women globally reap the benefits of trade, bringing economic benefits to their families and communities, as we help the developing world build back better after coronavirus,” said Duddridge.
According to Duddridge, the tool tracks how laws, policies and practices affect women’s participation in business and trade.
He also said it enables comparison across countries and sharing of good practices in Trade Policy, Business Environment, Legal and Regulatory Frameworks, Access to Finance, Access to Skills and Work and Society.
According to ITC, the tool is set to be rolled out globally after launch with coverage of 25 countries.
The body said it developed SheTrades Outlook as part of SheTrades in the Commonwealth, a dedicated project under the ITC SheTrades Initiative launched in April 2018.
The SheTrades Outlook, available at www.shetrades.com, gives policymakers access to step-by-step guides that enable them to develop free trade agreements, trade policies and public procurement policies that are more responsive to women’s needs.
SheTrades in the Commonwealth aims to deliver training, strengthening and mentoring activities to 3,000 women-owned businesses in Nigeria, Bangladesh, Ghana, and Kenya.
It also provides Commonwealth-wide support to governments through advisory services and tools that encourage more gender-responsive trade and trade-related policies.
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