What the UK is doing at the World Trade Organization (WTO)

The WTO Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender (IWGTG) brings together member countries to make global trade more inclusive by exploring the links between trade and gender equality. The UK works alongside partners to share best practices, improve data and analysis, and support the integration of gender considerations into trade policy.

The Working Group is chaired by Cabo Verde, El Salvador and the United Kingdom, with participation in the group open to all WTO members.

Key Achievements

• the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment aims to increase the participation of women in trade and remove barriers faced by women in entering the global market. The commitments within this Declaration require us and other signatory Members to collect data, share best practice and collaborate to remove barriers and support the participation of women in trade. Find out moreopens www.wto.org in a new tab
• through WTO Ministerial Conferences, women’s economic empowerment and women’s contribution to global trade are recognised as part of inclusive and sustainable economic growth
• the Compendium of Financial Inclusion Initiatives for Women Entrepreneurs (launched in collaboration with the IWGs on Trade and Gender, Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, the International Trade Centre and WTO Secretariats) – this database brings together programmes supporting access to finance for women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), providing them the opportunity to scale up and tap into global markets. Find out moreopens www.wto.org in a new tab