UNCTAD launches eTrade for Women Network to connect e-commerce leaders

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) kicked off the eTrade for Women Network during the fifth UNCTAD eCommerce Week on 1-5 April 2019 in Geneva. The network aims to empower women in developing countries through improving the profile of women leaders engaged in the digital economy and making their voices heard in policy processes both domestically and internationally. ‘A systematic effort to collect, nurture and enhance the experiences of women involved in e-commerce is needed,’ elaborated UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Isabelle Durant. To this aim, the eTrade for Women Network was developed for four main reasons: 1- visibility: to increase the visibility of successful women entrepreneurs in e-commerce in developing countries, 2- largesse: to provide them with a relevant network of peers, 3- Inspiration: to inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs and e-business leaders in developing countries, and 4- learning: to highlight good practices emerging from the field that are likely to add value to existing gender initiatives.