The Kazakh delegation took part in a joint event of the WTO and the International Trade Center (ITC) titled “Unlocking Trade for Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Development” held on 12 June at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).
In her remarks, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that WTO members must step up work to maximize the benefits for women in the face of challenges caused by multiple crises.
In turn, ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton likewise highlighted the plight of women entrepreneurs amid unprecedented disruptions: “We are hearing the global 3 C’s — climate, COVID, and conflict — these have disrupted all of our best laid plans. These disruptions are everywhere: supply chains, accelerated inflation, and higher risks of doing business.”
Kazakhstan monitors the progress of the work of the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, established in 2020 to mainstream gender into the regular work of WTO bodies, assist women entrepreneurs in trade by mainstreaming gender into programs and strategies, and expand data collection and coordination of research.
In Kazakhstan, despite the progressive measures taken to combat gender inequality, the problem of inequality is still relevant and requires further effective work. In this regard, Kazakhstan adheres to all WTO initiatives that provide sufficient flexibility for women to adapt to various national and global conditions.
