Incorporating gender perspectives within economic and trade processes and negotiations

The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Gender section is organising a parallel event alongside the forthcoming United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) XII.

Taking place on the 22 April 2008 in Accra, Ghana, this meeting will address ‘Trade and Gender: Perspectives for Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction.’

This event will be opened by UNCTAD’s Secretary-General, Supachai Panitchpakdi, and Chaired by Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Ransford Smith. Rachel Mayanja, the UN’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, will deliver an opening statement.

Panellists include Shri Gopal Pillai, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce in India, the South African economist Mohau Pheko who coordinates the gender and trade network in Africa and Savior Mwambwa of the Civil Society Trade Network in Zambia.

At UNCTAD XII, the gender and trade debate will be re-appraised within the context of sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. Experiences at both national and international levels will be shared in order to ascertain the continued barriers to incorporating and promoting gender and development perspectives within economic processes and trade policy formulation.

Participants are expected to be policy makers, trade negotiators, development agencies and civil society organisations.

The Secretariat’s parallel event will identify recommendations to influence economic processes, trade policy and trade negotiations and make them more responsive to gender needs and issues.

Secretariat Links:

• Gender
• Country Profile: Ghana