BRIDGE Gender and Development in Brief. Issue 17: Gender and Trade

Trade and trade liberalisation have very different impacts on women and men - and can result in fundamental shifts in gender roles, relationships and inequalities. What possibilities are there to influence trade negotiations in the light of these impacts? How can policy makers and practitioners promote gender equality and support women's access to the benefits of trade? Research into the gendered impact of trade negotiations is central to advocacy work and development policies in this area. Supporting women's entrepreneurship in ways which acknowledge the gendered disadvantages faced by women are also an important step. This bulletin provides an overview of the debates and interventions around gender and trade. It also includes two case study articles: one describing the Women's Edge trade impact review and the second which looks at the work of the Ugandan Women's Entrepreneurs Association.