Women in Trade (WIT) Knowledge Platform to Boost Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

AIDRE partnered with the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) based in Abuja, Nigeria, on the Women in Trade Knowledge Platform Project with funding support from the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada.

The project focuses more on the intersection of women’s economic empowerment and trade in sub-Saharan Africa. The broad aim is to determine trade sectors that can create jobs beneficial to women and the policies needed to ensure that the sectors work optimally. Main objective of this project is to examine how trade can create employment for, and empower, women, and how trade can yield the maximum benefits for women. Specific questions:
Why – and under what circumstances – do some trade sectors create more jobs for women and others do not?
To what extent are the jobs created contributing to women’s economic empowerment?
What strategies and policies are needed to ensure these sectors work optimally?

Data was collected on four key areas covering: 1) Opportunities (2) Challenges (3) Enabling Environment and (4) Impact. Furthermore, the data will be collected across four countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Madagascar – in sub-Saharan Africa.

Data collection involve a mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative) on SMEs in services, agriculture and manufacturing in Ghana. In Ghana, the data collection involves SMEs in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi, over the period 2021-2022.