Addressing the gender gap in trade

September 3, 2024

Addressing the gender gap in trade

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Interview with Marie Thiam Soumaré Continental President of the African Women Network of AfCFTA and General Secretary of the National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Senegal.

How did your trade union experience shape your advocacy for women in trade?

I began my career in the trade union movement in 1999, driven by a passion for promoting justice and gender equality in the workplace. As the General Secretary of the National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Senegal and staff member at the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), I have attended trade-related trainings, which highlighted the role of women in trade and economic development, particularly in the informal sector. Women are often neglected in trade discussions despite their contributions to small, medium, and micro enterprises, which play an important economic role. Yet, without workers, there would be no trade or government. Trade unions do more than defend workers’ rights. We demand participation in negotiations to achieve more balanced trade agreements, and women’s representation in trade, investment, and industrial transformation.

Can women in trade unions shape trade agreements like AfCFTA to have gender mainstreaming?

Women trade union leaders bring a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the challenges for women in the world of work. We support fair bargaining in challenging environments and focus on organising and empowering women to make unions more relevant and effective. Trade unions have a vital monitoring role in the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement and in ensuring inclusive trade. Unions advocate for policy reforms at national and regional levels to support the inclusion of women and youth in the AfCFTA. Women make up 70% to 80% of informal cross-border traders in Africa. The traders engage in small-scale trading of goods, contributing to our economies. SMMEs have opportunities under the AfCFTA, but they need targeted solutions to benefit.

How can we ensure the AfCFTA is different for women in trade?

While the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade has ambitions for women, are the protocol provisions different from those benefiting any other group? This question arose during the ITUC-Africa and Labour Research Service capacity-building and engagement program with informal economy actors, aiming for a trade union position on the sector and the AfCFTA women and youth protocol.

“The Protocol is expected to address the specific challenges women face when trading across borders. The AfCFTA will help women access more markets, improve their competitiveness, and participate in regional value chains under the AfCFTA.”

– AfCFTA Secretariat.

A women’s protocol should target women in the fragmented informal economy and promote inclusive trade, a regulated labour market, and enhance government support. Cross-border trade presents unique challenges for women, and their involvement under the AfCFTA might decline as the focus shifts to exports. We demand a simplified AfCFTA trade regime for women and youth in informal cross-border trade. We need tailored solutions for engaging and connecting women to opportunities and resources.

We must tackle systemic challenges and promote inclusive policies to unlock the potential of women and youth to drive economic growth and development. Some steps to achieve this include:

Policy reform: Advocate for changes at both national and regional levels to enhance the inclusion of women and youth in trade under the AfCFTA.

Capacity building: Implement programmes that enhance the skills of women and youth entrepreneurs, focusing on trade-related skills, financial literacy, and market access.

Partnerships: Encourage collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society organisations, including trade unions, to support the goals of the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.

Monitoring and evaluation: Develop comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress on initiatives designed to empower women and youth in trade.

Financial instruments: Create financial products and services tailored to meet the specific needs of women and youth in business and trade.

Supportive environment: Build an environment where women and youth can actively participate in and benefit from the economic opportunities created by the AfCFTA.

Can you give an example of an initiative for ensuring women’s participation in the AfCFTA?

Various groups advocate for gender dynamics in trade and investment. I lead the African Women Network of AfCFTA, launched in Dakar in 2023, with committees in a few countries. We recognised the need for women to unite for AfCFTA advocacy. The network aims to promote opportunities for women in the AfCFTA, build capacities and networks, and advocate for favourable trade environments under the continental trade agreement. Women traders must understand the AfCFTA’s rules, including export regulations and rules of origin. The involvement of women in trade unions in the network’s national committees is crucial in the quest for formal social dialogue mechanisms. We aim to connect with trade and commerce ministries, which are central to AfCFTA implementation in countries. In Senegal, we assisted in the AfCFTA training run by the commerce ministry. These connections are important for ensuring inclusive policies for women and youth to benefit from the integration under the AfCFTA.

What are two other important issues that concern you?

Climate change and gender-based violence and harassment. Climate change is a global challenge that disproportionately affects women as the primary caretakers of homes. We need a coherent workers’ position on just transition. We need solidarity networks and alliances to influence government actions for tackling climate change.

Gender-based violence in the world of work is a major barrier to women’s advancement. We are pushing for the ratification of the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment (C190) in our countries, as many African countries have not yet adopted it. C190 is good for protecting women traders, who face gender-based violence and harassment at borders and elsewhere. I applaud the unions concerned about and working to eliminate GBV.