The European Business Council for Africa

WTO Gender Research Hub - Think Up! #1: Financing Change: Trade Finance at Women Entrepreneurs' Rescue

Date: 9 March 2022, 15:00-16:45 CET

The World Trade Organisation invites you to attend their event hosted by their Gender Research Hub on trade finance to support women entrepreneurs.

Context and background
For the year 2022, the WTO Gender Research Hub focuses its work and discussions on the overarching theme of "Gender Equality for Sustainable Trade and Recovery". The Hub's annual work programme includes a series of three workshops, entitled Think Up!, to further analysis on trade and gender equality issues and showcase research findings which will be reviewed from a concrete and practical perspective.

The 2022 work programme will conclude with the first edition of the World Trade Congress on Gender to be held at the WTO on 5-7 December.

The first Think Up! Will focus on recent research on trade finance for women entrepreneurs. It will bring together trade and gender experts and trade and finance experts to present their research on the topic. In addition, an organization working with women entrepreneurs will provide comments and inputs to bring the reality of the field in the context of a recovery period.

Speakers and sequence


PART 1: Launch of the WTO Gender Research Hub Annual Work Programme

  • 15:00-15:05
    Introductory remarks
    Anoush der Boghossian, Founder and Chair of the WTO Gender Research Hub, Head of the Trade and Gender Unit World Trade Organization
  • 15:05-15:10
    Keynote speech
    H.E. Mr. Paul Bekkers Ambassador of Netherlands
  • 15:10-15:15
    Launch of the WTO Gender Research Hub Annual Work Programme
    Anoush der Boghossian, Founder and Chair of the WTO Gender Research Hub, Head of the Trade and Gender Unit World Trade Organization


PART 2: Presentation of research projects on trade finance and gender equality
Moderator: Theresa Carpenter, University of Sussex, Affiliated Faculty

  • 15:15-15:35
    Introductory remarks
    Theresa Carpenter, University of Sussex, Affiliated Faculty
  • 15:35-15:50
    Presentation of research and findings on trade finance for women entrepreneurs
    Nathalie Louat Director International Finance Corporation (IFC)
  • 15:50-16:05
    Presentation of one case study on trade finance and gender equality in Kenya
    Nadia Hasham Trade Policy Expert African Trade Policy Centre, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
    Agnes Gitau Trade Finance Consultant United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)


PART 3: Comments and inputs from a practical perspective
Moderator: Theresa Carpenter

  • 16:05-16:20
    Experience sharing in the field of the civil society working with women entrepreneurs
    Speaker tbc
  • 16:20-16:30
    Experience sharing from a woman entrepreneur
    Francisca Ochieng, Lheritier Skincare CEO & Founder

PART 4: Question and answers session and closing

  • 16:30-16:40
    Q/A session
    Moderated by Theresa Carpenter.
  • 16:40-16:45
    Closing remarks
    Anoush der Boghossian

 

Please register here.