A new initiative aimed at empowering women traders and improving trade efficiency across West Africa has been launched in Ghana. The Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa Project, led by TradeMark Africa (TMA) and CECI, comes with a C$20 million commitment from Global Affairs Canada to support women-led businesses engaged in cross-border trade.
Running from 2024 to 2030, the six-year project will directly impact 80,000 traders, with at least 70% of them being women. The project will span across Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, with a focus on enhancing market access, improving financial services for women, and eliminating gender-based trade barriers at border crossings.
Promoting Gender Equality in Trade
At the launch in Accra, David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and aims to ensure that the benefits of trade are accessible to all segments of society.
“We are thrilled to launch this program with the support of the Canadian government and in partnership with CECI to make cross-border trade easier for women. This project will focus on reducing gender-based discrimination at borders by working closely with border officials and traders,” Beer explained.
The project intends to address long-standing challenges faced by women traders, including lower earnings, limited access to financing, excessive bureaucracy, and harassment at border crossings. A World Bank study along the Tema-Ouagadougou and Abidjan-Lagos trade corridors revealed that women make up 38% and 61% of traders in these regions, yet they earn 30% to 50% less than their male counterparts for the same volume of trade.
Tackling Systemic Trade Barriers
Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Board Chair of TradeMark Africa, stressed the significant economic impact of gender inequality, estimating that it costs Sub-Saharan Africa approximately $95 billion annually.
“Women make up a significant part of our workforce, yet systemic barriers prevent them from fully participating in trade. This project will directly support 80,000 traders, 70% of whom are women, across six countries,” Boshe noted.
He further emphasized that while the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, adopted last year, marked an important step forward, its success depends on governments translating policies into real business conditions on the ground. “Effective policies matter little if they do not improve business conditions. Governments, the private sector, and regional bodies like ECOWAS and AfCFTA must work together to implement reforms that make trade more inclusive,” Boshe said.
Canada’s Commitment to Women’s Economic Empowerment
Myriam Montrat, the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, reiterated Canada’s dedication to women’s economic empowerment and highlighted the importance of investing in initiatives that support women in business.
“Canada prioritizes women’s empowerment because when women thrive, communities, countries, and societies as a whole prosper,” Montrat said.
She explained that Canada’s C$20 million investment will be managed by CECI and TradeMark Africa, ensuring that the funds are used effectively to create measurable impacts for women traders.
Key Interventions Under the Project
The Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa Project will focus on several key areas to create a more inclusive trading environment, including:
- Enhancing border safety by training officials to protect women traders from harassment and gender-based violence.
- Strengthening women’s associations to ensure their voices are heard in trade policy decisions.
- Implementing gender-responsive trade policies by reviewing regulations and procedures to remove discriminatory barriers.
- Developing inclusive regional value chains that enable women traders to take advantage of market opportunities and improve their livelihoods.
- Promoting digital financial solutions, financial literacy programs, and sustainable trade practices to enhance women’s participation in formal markets.
A Call for Better Data on Women in Trade
Boshe also stressed the need for up-to-date data on the economic impact of gender disparities in trade, noting that outdated statistics hinder effective policy-making.
“We cannot rely on statistics from a decade ago. Outdated data leads to weak policies and missed opportunities. We need real-time insights to make informed decisions and drive meaningful change,” Boshe urged.
The project aims to increase the number of women traders using sustainable practices by 50%, boost their income levels by 40%, and raise awareness among over 50,000 individuals on gender, trade, and environmental sustainability.
With support from regional bodies like ECOWAS, AfCFTA, and UEMOA, this initiative is set to drive transformative change in West Africa’s trade landscape, ensuring that women move from the margins to the center of economic growth.
Source; theghanareport
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