WTO Youth Trade Summit on Gender

The summit is the first of its kind to bring together young professionals from across the world to interact and exchange ideas on women’s economic empowerment and inclusivity through trade. The highlight of the summit was the working group session where participants had hands-on experience in identifying and proposing measures to address gender issues in a country’s trade policy. The session undoubtedly provided a unique and enriching avenue for participants to interact with each other, collaborate and exchange ideas and perspectives under the guidance of senior experts.

Modesta Nsowaa-Adu was also one of the three young researchers selected by Cowater International and the UK Trade Commission to work on and present the summit’s ground-breaking study on youth’s role in gender-equitable trade.

Findings from the study have been published and can be assessed on the website of Cowater International as well as the WTO Gender Research Hub database here: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/womenandtrade_e/taf2_youth_in_trade_e.pdf

Senior experts in the industry, academia, and research attended the summit. Pierre Sauvé, Senior Trade Expert at the World Bank; Prof Erin Hannah, Associate Dean of Research, King's University College at Western University; Judit Fabian, Visiting Researcher at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and Fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute; Carmine Soprano, Senior Trade & Gender Specialist, World Bank Group; Simonetta Zarrilli, Chief, Trade, Gender and Development Programme, UNCTAD and Prof Elisa Fornale head of the WTI’s Gender Research team and member of the WTO Gender Research Hub.