Global trade continues to undervalue women’s contributions: UN agency

The United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has stated that global trade despite progress continued to undervalue women’s contributions, and their share of domestic value added to exports remains lower than men’s in all regions. Statistics released to mark the International Women’s Day show women still contribute less to exports across all sectors, Closing the gap requires expanding their access to high-value sectors, strengthening labour rights and supporting their inclusion in larger enterprises. UNCTAD’s trade and gender indicators reveal a persistent gender gap in tradable sectors, with women contributing less to domestic value added in exports. Closing this gap requires country-specific analysis to identify the drivers and barriers shaping women’s participation in high-value sectors, backed by micro-data at the national level to guide policy action.