PH WTO Mission Examines Trade-Gender Issues on International Women’s Day 2024
GENEVA 20 March 2024 – The Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the World Trade Organization (WTO celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) on 08 March 2024 by a dedicated discussion with the WTO senior gender expert on the gender-trade nexus.
Titled “Leaving No Woman Behind: Making Trade Rules and Policies Truly Gender Responsive,” the discussion led by Ms. Anoush der Boghossian, Head of the WTO Gender and Trade Office, acknowledged that women should be at the center of trade strategies for economies to create equal opportunities and achieve women’s economic empowerment.
Ms. der Boghossian emphasized the importance of the following strategies that governments should focus on: creating opportunities for women to enter the workforce, addressing working conditions through trade policy, and addressing obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs and female farmers to access global markets. She stressed agriculture policies should also be enhanced through capacity building projects for women farmers, input subsidies for female farmers, green box subsidies, and intergovernmental collaboration when designing policies in agriculture.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Teehankee said the International Women’s Day (IWD) serves as a “poignant reminder of the progress made and the challenges that persist,” encouraging personnel to support gender-inclusive policies and initiatives, create a more supportive environment for women in the trade sector, and implement the Abu Dhabi Declaration, particularly elements on inclusion related to women’s economic empowerment and MSME cooperation, which was adopted at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Abu Dhabi on 26 February to 01 March 2024. He expressed gratitude to the Philippine government’s efforts in promoting women’s participation in trade-related activities, advocating policies that ensure equal opportunities, and enhancing the visibility of women's contributions in the international trade arena.
“Our work not only empowers women but also strengthens the fabric of our societies by harnessing the full potential of every individual,” Ambassador Teehankee stressed. “As we celebrate IWD, we reaffirm our commitment to gender equality, recognize the invaluable contributions of women in shaping the global trade landscape. May the Philippines’ continued success in this area inspire positive change and serve as a beacon for others to follow.”
For his part, Mission GAD focal person First Secretary Oliver Delfin said IWD is not just about celebrations but making sure gender-trade issues are discussed, understood and addressed. The Philippine Mission and WTO Secretariat agreed to explore areas of collaboration on stakeholder engagement, by including women’s business association and organization in future activities of the WTO’s Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender. END
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