Women face numerous barriers to business that include access to finance, discriminatory laws and social norms that restrict mobility, the EIF noted. In LDCs, these limitations can be magnified – and directly addressing them can have an outsized impact on livelihoods and economies.

The USD10 million, four-year initiative will work in partnership with LDC governments where the EIF has a mandate. Focusing on both the policy and practice sides of trade development and drawing from the EIF’s decade of experience with both, the initiative will be based on a holistic approach to women’s economic empowerment that is designed to make the most impact.

"Empower Women, Power Trade" aims at shaping policy and bringing women into decision-making bodies as active and equal participants, in line with the W20’s policy proposals on equity and governance. W20 is an official engagement group that proposes policy recommendations related to women for the Group of 20 (G20) leading economies.

About the Enhanced Integrated Framework

The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is the only multilateral partnership dedicated exclusively to helping LDCs use trade as an engine for growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction. It is a unique global partnership between LDCs, donors and partner agencies, including the WTO, which work together to build trade capacity in LDCs.

More information on the EIF is available here.