Gender Considerations in Trade Agreements

Ignacia SimonettiHead of Gender Department

Directorate of International Economic RelationsMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Chile

86% of the World’s GDP

1. Chile, brief overview

Exports

US$69 billion

63% of the World’s Population

26 Trade Agreements

With 64 countries

Uruguay - ChileOctober, 2016

June, 2017Canada - Chile

Argentina - ChileNovember, 2017

European Union

Australia

Canada

New Zealand

Singapore

Republic of Korea

November, 2018Brazil - Chile

UN

DER

NEG

OTI

ATIO

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1. Chile, brief overview

4Photo: http://www.wikipedia.com (javmoraga)

2. Why?

⏌Trade can open new opportunities for women’s empowerment by openingnew markets for their products and by providing formal employment(UNCTAD, 2017)

⏌Trade policy could be a strategy to increase women economic participationand the achievement of the positive spillovers that this brings, can createopportunities to accomplish this objective (Lopez, 2018).

⏌Women’s participation in trade can provide openness and sustainability ofthe economic growth. Economies with better opportunities for women aremore competitive. (INTRACEN, 2015)

NUMBER OF EXPORT COMPANIES 2017

Companies led by women

4.2%

Rest95.8%

In 2017, 343 companies led by women exported around US$982 million. Only 14 of them exported services, representing 0,41% of services exports,

around US$4,2 million.

EXPORTS BY COMPANIES 2017

Companies led by women

1.5%

Rest98.5%

8167 Companies

US$65 billion

Source: DIRECON-ProChile

Participation of women in Chilean exports

2. Why?

Develop programs to

promote women’s full participation

Promote financial

inclusion and education

Promote femaleentrepreneurship

Conductgender-based

analysis

Promote gender

equality within enterprises

3. Gender provisions

Advance care policies and programs

Develop women’s networks

Conducting gender-based

analysis

Collection of sex-

disaggregated data

Improve women’s

access to STEM

Chapters seeks to recognize the importance of incorporating a gender perspectivein trade policy, with the objective of ensuring that the benefits of economic growthare shared fairly.

3. Gender provisions

Feasibility studies

InterministerialCommittee

Decision to negotiate

NegotiationAgreement ConclusionLegal Review

Agreement Signing

Discussion in the Congress

Approval and Publication

Ministry of Women and Gender Equity

3. Gender provisions

4. Moving forward

⏌ Increase understanding of the gender dimension of tradeagreements and their contribution to better policy making.

⏌Enhance public participation, and raise public awareness.

⏌Promote gender equity policies alongside trade promotionpolicies.

⏌Enhance the work we are doing in cooperation with otherMinistries and Services from different areas.

⏌Gender mainstreaming in international fora has reached acritical moment . Witnessing a transformative moment thatcould lead to more positive actions.