This International Women’s Day, Bloomberg HT spoke to Emmanuelle Ganne, Chief of Digital Trade and Frontier Technologies at the World Trade Organization, about some of the challenges women face when accessing international trade markets.
- Women-led businesses struggle to export – Only 15-20% of exporting companies are led by women, with barriers like operating in non-export-heavy sectors and being smaller in size.
- Access to finance is a major hurdle – Many women face challenges securing funding due to shorter credit histories and assets often being registered in a man’s name.
- Policy matters – Governments can drive change by integrating a ‘gender lens’ into trade regulations, ensuring policies support women-led businesses.
- Data drives action – Better gender-disaggregated data can help policymakers and organisations develop targeted solutions.
- Digitalisation can be a game changer – Technology provides women with better access to international markets, trade information, and alternative financing solutions.
- AI could unlock new opportunities – AI-powered alternative data can help assess creditworthiness, making it easier for women to secure funding.
- Connectivity remains a challenge – For women in developing economies, limited Internet access still restricts their ability to leverage digital trade tools.
This interview was recorded at our inaugural event: Women in Trade, Treasury & Payments.
