Brazil has signed a commitment aimed at increasing the participation of women in the export sector, becoming the tenth country to join the Global Arrangement on Trade and Gender. The agreement was formalized this Monday (26) in Abu Dhabi during a parallel event to the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, signed the document, with representation from Tatiana Prazeres, the Secretary of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (Mdic).
Last year, Mdic released a study titled “Women in Foreign Trade – an analysis for Brazil,” revealing significant insights. In 2019, women held 2.6 million jobs in Brazilian foreign trade companies, constituting 32.5% of total positions. However, only 14% of exporting companies were owned or primarily controlled by women, indicating untapped potential for female involvement in entrepreneurship and employment within the sector.
Highlighting the significance of the agreement, Mdic and Itamaraty emphasized the potential for women's empowerment and gender equality through enhanced participation in foreign trade. They underscored the importance of developing public policies and fostering international cooperation to leverage commerce as a tool for advancing these objectives.
The Global Arrangement on Trade and Gender, initially signed in 2020 by Canada, Chile, and New Zealand, has seen additional signatories in recent years, including Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru. Brazil's invitation to join the commitment came within the context of the Brazil–Chile Free Trade Agreement, which has been in effect since 2022.
Furthermore, the theme of “Women in International Trade” stands as a priority during Brazil's presidency of the G20. Discussions within the Working Group on Trade and Investment of the 20 largest global economies are focused on reducing gender inequality within the realm of foreign trade.
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