Women in Global Trade
IPD promotes the economic participation of women
Often underestimated, women in developing and emerging countries play a central role in providing for and securing the income of their families. They mainly work in agriculture, processing and sales. Nevertheless, women have little access to education and career opportunities or to land ownership and credit. The economic potential of women therefore remains untapped.
Women make up 50 per cent of the world's population. Their full integration into the economy contributes to their social status and strengthens women's rights. Furthermore, equal participation of women promotes economic growth in the countries and thus benefits everyone.
Foreign trade promotion: potential for equality
IPD's demand-driven trade promotion and the creation of long-term business relationships promote economic development in IPD partner countries. As a result, women have more opportunities for equal participation in economic life. An increase in export turnover enables women-owned and women-led enterprises to expand their production, create new jobs, generate investment capital and support social and environmental projects in their local communities.
A key focus of IPD is to create new employment, training and career opportunities for women as part of business development. IPD specifically supports women-owned businesses.
The IPD's services to these women entrepreneurs include:
- Networking
- Capacity building
- Mentoring opportunities
- Matchmaking with European importers
IPD promotes the empowerment of women entrepreneurs by addressing their specific needs and supporting them in overcoming prejudices and disadvantages.
As a member of the development policy network "Partners in Transformation – Business & Development Network" IPD supports the strategy for feminist development policy of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In the field of international trade promotion, IPD is contributing to the economic empowerment of women.
Empowering women: diverse approaches with a sustainable effect
Community & networking
In the newly founded "Women in Global Trade" network, IPD brings together women in the export and import business. IPD creates a platform for dialogue at eye level.
Women from all over the world contribute their perspectives and highlight the importance of gender equality. It is about networking and discussing experiences with challenges in trade and sharing best practices for overcoming women-specific barriers. It is a meeting place for ´Women in Global Trade` who want to make a difference together across national and sectoral borders.
Network: Women in Global Trade
The official kick-off event for the ‘Women in Global Trade’ network was held at SIAL in Paris - the world's leading food trade fair - to which IPD had invited female entrepreneurs and female specialists in foreign trade.
The aim of IPD is to establish a network that promotes co-operation between women in international trade.
Various activities are planned to strengthen dialogue and exchange. These include regular networking events, training courses and specialist meetings to support the transfer of knowledge and establish a strong community of business women.
Capacity building
The IPD programme trains companies on export-related issues, including import regulations, certification, quality standards, as well as social and environmental market requirements, while also preparing them for product presentations and negotiations.
Women-owned businesses receive targeted support in IPD workshops. The IPD capacity building programme will be expanded to include an e-learning course that will raise awareness among all enterprises, whether women- or men-owned, about the importance of women's economic empowerment and gender equality in the workplace and beyond.
IPD mentoring programme
By 2024, IPD will launch a mentoring programme for women leaders within IPD companies.
Mentees will be able to choose from five key topics that specifically support the empowerment of women in business:
- Career & leadership
- Finance & management
- Marketing & networking
- Equality & inclusion
- Work-life balance
Women are coached by experienced corporate mentors. The mentoring programme consists of three sessions and can be extended if required.
Our contact person for the IPD mentoring programme will be happy to provide you with further information:
![[Translate to Englisch:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/3/3/csm_Nora_Eichkorn_3760d848f3.jpg "Nora Eichkorn")
Multipliers in the partner countries
In the partner countries, IPD works closely with export promotion organisations, known as Business Support Organisations (BSOs). IPD supports them in developing their export promotion services. A key aspect of this is the expansion of services for women-owned businesses.
Cross-border training
15 BSOs from eight IPD partner countries participate in the first specific training on gender equality in export promotion.
BSO staff are made aware of the specific needs of women-owned businesses. They are supported in reviewing their existing services and developing ideas for new services that take into account the needs of women entrepreneurs.
The virtual training programme was launched in September. Individual coaching sessions with the BSOs on site are planned for 2025.
Best Practice Sri Lanka: Training courses for female entrepreneurs are a success
With the support of IPD, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has developed a training programme for women-owned businesses.
Using the train-the-trainer method, 12 EDB business coaches were trained by the IPD – 11 of them women. They conduct the customised training courses, whose curricula specifically take into account the specific requirements and export experience of female entrepreneurs.
The aim of the programme is to provide participants with in-depth knowledge of market information, EU market trends, effective sales techniques, corporate social responsibility (CSR), export market entry requirements and EU market standards.
Utilising cooperations and synergies
One of the IPD's success criteria is sustainable cooperation with players from business, trade and development cooperation - both in IPD partner countries and in Europe. This means recognising each partner's strengths, leveraging synergies, avoiding duplication, developing projects together and leading them to success.
The IPD incorporates the topics of women's economic participation and gender equality in the workplace into its existing partnerships and is expanding its network.
New partnerships to support female entrepreneurs
IPD works closely with the Association of German Women Entrepreneurs (VdU) and the Women in Business (WiB) network to provide the best possible support for women-owned businesses and female entrepreneurs.
Both partners will contribute their expertise to both the mentoring and capacity building programmes. There will also be stronger links between the WiB Women Exporters Programme and the IPD programme.
Interview
"Female entrepreneurs are role models for self-determination and participation"
Tabea Mack, team leader of the sourcing and markets department at the IPD in Bonn, explains the IPD's engagement for the empowerment of women and outlines the plans to strengthen equal participation in economic life.
Women entrepreneur stories
Founded by women – powered by women!
IPD supports many small and medium enterprises in developing countries that are founded and successfully run by women.
The women entrepreneurs in the IPD programme use their position to provide women and other marginalised groups with access to formal employment, education and training. In doing so, they create the conditions for equal economic and social participation of women in developing and emerging countries.
Alongside strengthening women’s rights, empowerment also promotes economic growth in these countries.
Here you can read stories of women entrepreneurs who illustrate the potential of empowerment.
