International Trade Forum articles from July 2008

International Trade Forum archives from July 2008

Letter from the International Trade Centre.(FORUM)
July 1, 2008... I am often asked, "why focus on the economic empowerment of women?" In short, without women, trade generates dollars, but not balanced development. Women constitute the majority of the world's poor. At the same time, women are the backbone...

ITC's annual meeting discusses the role of trade in achieving MDGs.(International Trade Centre)(Conference news)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... ITC's Joint Advisory Group meeting was held in Geneva on 10-11 December 2008, focusing on how trade can help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Discussions looked at the role of trade in reducing poverty, empowering women and...

Financial crisis facility to deliver $2 billion.(World Bank Group )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... The World Bank Group will speed funds to the world's poorest countries to help them cope with falling revenues, investment and trade in the wake of the global financial crisis. An initial $2 billion will be available to the hardest-hit...

Doha declaration urges sustained commitment to international aid.(International Conference on Financing for Development)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Delegates from over 160 countries met in Doha, Qatar from 29 November to 2 December 2008, for the follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development. The conference reviewed progress achieved under the 2002 Monterrey Consensus,...

Call for fair play in the cotton industry.(United Nations. Conference on Trade and Development)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Six trade ministers of African countries dependent on cotton exports have called for fair play in the international trade of cotton and for rich countries to close the gap between pledges and delivery of aid to the African cotton sector while...

World's poorest countries integrating trade and development policy.(Q&A)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... The Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries (EIF) brings together six international agencies to help least developed countries integrate trade capacity building in national development...

TPOs inspire.(INBOX)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2008... It is inspiring to see how the work of trade promotion organizations (TPOs) like ours is having a real impact on small businesses in our countries. The recent World Conference of Trade Promotion Organizations in The Hague provided another vital...

The wheels of trade finance.(INBOX)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2008... While bailouts for banks and help for homeowners hit the headlines daily, scant regard is given to the grit in the engine of growth: access to trade finance. The narrow focus during this wave of the financial crisis as it hits homes in...

Strong women, strong world: by involving women in national economic policy, Canada is forging a model for empowering women and building the strength of domestic and global marketplaces.(FORUM)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Women are stepping forward as never before. They are becoming leaders, financial managers, business strategists, risk-takers and entrepreneurs. Canadian business and government are embracing this involvement, with an...

Lighting the dark: in communities around the world, strong and dedicated women are breaking gender stereotypes to earn the income they need to support their families.(FORUM)(United Nations Development Programme )(Column)
July 1, 2008... The United Nations Development Programme has estimated that a quarter of the world's families are supported exclusively by women, and another quarter primarily by women. These women are my heroines, For the past 12 years, I have worked as a...

Trade policy Cambodia: by incorporating gender equality into trade policy, Cambodia is empowering women and boosting national economic performance.(FORUM)(Statistical data)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] French poet and writer Louis Aragon once said, "Woman is the future of man", expressing his vision of a society that allows women to be more in charge of its destiny. It sounds so inspirational, but can it be...

Trading under duress: when disaster strikes, it's usually up to women to rebuild the necessities of daily life. For many, setting up business in conflict zones is a trading reality. Women with international experience are reaching out with innovative business models to build new skills, seek new orders and create hope for women displaced by war.(FORUM)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to the International Rescue Committee, there are currently 35 million people displaced in 24 countries. Millions have had...

Treasure from trash: the last straw? By using innovative new materials, African women are competing in the popular ethical fashion market around the world.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Is it possible for communities of women based in slums to be part of a global value chain linked to high-end fashion houses? How can they compete with time,...

Good business--the potential of women-owned enterprises: global corporations are learning that buying from businesses owned by women is vital for economic growth. Initiatives like WEConnect International are providing the essential link.(BUSINESS TALK)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The contribution that women business owners can make to the growth of the global economy was recognized at the ITC's World Export Development Forum in 2008. The event included a panel on the business case for why...

In India, management skills become innovative assets: a partnership between ITC and an Indian bank has shown how lenders can safely use competency as collateral against small business loans.(BUSINESS TALK)(Export-Import Bank of India)(International Trade Centre)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Traditionally, lenders wouldn't dare offer credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) without financial collateral. But since a major Indian bank began doing just that in 2007, the results have been...

Success through shea: by producing and exporting shea butter to The Body Shop, an enterprising collective in northern Ghana is improving conditions for women and their communities, An ITC initiative in Mali shows similar potential through government strategy.(BUSINESS TALK)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The women of western Africa have been using shea nut butter for centuries to protect their skin from dry Saharan winds. Through innovative enterprise, it's now protecting them in other ways, too. Since 1994, a...

Women in coffee: around the world, women play a major role in the production of coffee. A handful of international associations are working to ensure their access to equal ownership and employment conditions.(TRADE TRENDS)(Statistical data)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On the family-owned coffee plots that produce most of Africa's coffee, it is usually women who undertake the majority of maintenance and harvesting work. Here, and in other coffee-producing areas around the world,...

Accessing export, accessing opportunity: in Tunisia, the ACCESS! Programme for African Businesswomen in International Trade is paving the way for women artisans to export their products.(TRADE TRENDS)(International Trade Centre)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Recognizing the unique challenges faced by women seeking trade support services in Africa, ITC developed the ACCESS! programme in 2005 with the goal of providing greater participation of African businesswomen in...

Buying from Africa for Africa: by supplying products and services to international aid agencies, small African enterprises are improving the prosperity of their businesses and communities.(TRADE TRENDS)
July 1, 2008... More than half of the annual aid procurement market, worth an estimated $10 billion, is destined for Africa. Supporting African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including businesses owned by women, to access this market has enormous...

"Engendering" Uganda's National Export Strategy: Uganda is changing its policies and planning to bring women closer to the heart of export strategy.(TRADE TRENDS)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While women own about 40% of private businesses in Uganda and some 30% of women in business are exporting, women's role in socio-economic development is still seen to be peripheral. Uganda has enjoyed strong...

The human right to economic equality: governments have committed to eradicating all forms of descrimination against women. Enlightened trade policies take the gender dimension into account.(POLICY PAGES)(United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)
July 1, 2008... DEFINING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN In the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Article one includes economic equality of women as a human right: "The term 'discrimination against women' shall...

Advising policy, alleviating poverty: in the current financial crisis, governments need to provide opportunities for women living in poverty by including them in policy dialogue.(POLICY PAGES)
July 1, 2008... In the current economic climate, forward movements in market access and trade capacity building for developing countries can seem unlikely. But at both bilateral and multilateral levels opportunities exist to create policies that would increase...

Networking for women's leadership: bringing women together to share skills, contacts and positive attitudes could help us all to navigate through these uncertain economic times.(DIRECTORY)(Women's International Networking )
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The past months have been a turbulent time. Markets have collapsed around the world and we are left with huge economic uncertainties. Whether in our offices or our homes, it has had an effect on all of us. By...

Building bridges, building business: the Arab International Women's Forum is enhancing the leadership capacity of Arab women by promoting their role in the economy and public life.(DIRECTORY)
July 1, 2008... Despite the high education standards of Arab women, the female labour force participation is 32% lower than any other region in the world. The United Arab Emirates, for example, has the highest rate of females in higher education worldwide--a...

Networks to build leadership in trade: by connecting women around the world, the Organization of Women in International Trade is fostering powerful networks that help them to grow as leaders in business.(DIRECTORY)(Organization overview)
July 1, 2008... More than ever before, we are witnessing the transformative power of women in business and trade, through our networks and our capacity to share, to collaborate, to learn and to lead. Networking has become a way of life. The Organization...

Lifting Liberia, lifting the world: in many nations, the fight against poverty is both an ethical issue and a security imperative. Women leaders are convening in Liberia to commit to action to empower women at all levels to become effective leaders as it contributes to peace and international security--the precondition for development and poverty reduction.(DIRECTORY)
July 1, 2008... Leading the way: the Liberia colloquium Women leaders will meet at an International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, on 7-8 March 2009. It will be...

Women and trade: a selection of professional business women's organizations, associations and events.(DIRECTORY)(Directory)
July 1, 2008... WOMEN AND TRADE: A selection of professional business womens organizations, associations and events NAME MISSION World Association of Women FCEM is an association uniting Entrepreneurs Femmes Chef...

UN resources: women in the global economy.(DIRECTORY)(United Nations)
July 1, 2008... The United Nations has a wide range of information resources related to women in the global economy. They look at women's business and trade issues on topics as diverse as labour rights, intellectual property, agriculture and more. Here is...

For your reading list.(DIRECTORY)
July 1, 2008... 'Womenomics: Why Women Mean Business' Aviva Wittenberg-Cox and Alison Maitland. John Wiley Press, 2008. 'Equality for Women: Where do we stand on Millennium Development Goal 3?' Buvinic, Morrison, Ofosu-Amaagh, Sj_blom, editors...