Economic policies impact different segments of the population, including men and women, in different ways. In turn, gender inequalities impact on trade policy outcomes and economic growth. Taking into account gender perspectives in macro-economic policy, including trade policy, is essential to pursuing inclusive and sustainable development and to achieving fairer and beneficial outcomes for all.

UNCTAD plays a key role in ensuring that gender considerations are incorporated in a meaningful way in trade policies. Through its work programme on Trade, Gender and Development, UNCTAD supports its member countries in:

assessing the distinct effect of economic policies, especially trade policy, on men and women, boys and girls; identifying gender-based constraints that impede inclusive development; and devising strategies and policy measures to overcome them.

mainstreaming gender into trade policy through the inclusion of gender considerations in policy formulation and implementation, and in the negotiations of trade and other agreements at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels.

Actions to combat poverty in rural areas, where over 70% of the world's 1.4 billion extremely poor people live, will be crucial if the aspiration of the Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty is to be met.

An expert meeting on Trade as a Tool for the Economic Empowerment of Women was held by the Trade, Gender and Development Unit on 23 and 24 May 2016 to promote a better understanding of the links between trade and gender.

Global value chains have become a dominant feature of world trade and investment, but what opportunities and risks do they provide to women? This question was addressed at a side event jointly organized by UNCTAD and Finland on 17 March during the 60th session at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Seventy-seven researchers, government officials and civil society representatives, including 47 women, from 44 countries, successfully completed the second edition of the UNCTAD online course on trade and gender, held from 4 January to 21 February 2016.

To mark this year's International Women's Day, UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Joakim Reiter will take part in the first annual Geneva Gender Debate organised by the Swiss city's Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies on 8 March, 2016.

On January 4th, UNCTAD launched the second iteration of its trade and gender online course. The course is being delivered to over 100 students from 56 different countries representing government agencies, international organizations, civil society and academia.

​With more empowerment and a change in socio-cultural attitudes, women can be catalysts for trade and development. But, according to participants in a round table discussion during the sixty-second session of the Trade and Development Board, trade liberalization does not automatically benefit women and gender equality.