INF/TGE/W/1/Rev.2  
 
29 March  2021 
(21-2564) Page: 1/3 
Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender  Original: English  
 
FINAL  WORK PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING ACTIVITIES UNDER  
THE INFORMAL WORKING GROUP ON TRADE AND GENDER  
WHITE PAPER PROPOSAL BY CANADA  
Revision  
This work plan outlines four activities aligned with the four pillars (Aid for Trade, Gender lens, 
Research and data, best practice workshops/webinars) identified in the "INTERIM REPORT 
FOLLOWING THE BUENOS AIRES JOINT DECLARATION ON TRADE AND WOMEN 'S ECONOMIC 
EMPOWERMENT ". These activities will be implemented at the beginning of the second meeting of 
the Informal Working Group (IWG) on 26 February 2021  and are aimed at helping identify potential 
content for a concrete MC12 deliverable.  
 
The deliverable could take the form of a Ministerial Statement (MS) that recognizes the importance 
of the WTO role in removing barriers to women's participation in trad e, would reference progress to 
date under the B uenos Aires (BA)  Declaration, including the current Phase 2. Modelled on the 
MSME  Declaration, the MS could include a series of recommendations on key actions that will be 
implemented by the WTO to strengthen its work, build knowledge and understanding of the trade 
and gender nexus among IWG members. These recommendations would be drawn from the work of 
the IWG in 2021, including through experience sharing and lessons learned. The MS and the 
Recommendations tog ether would serve as a Road Map to deliver on the B A Declaration leading up 
to MC13.  
 
The agenda for each substantive meeting of the IWG will include the four pillars. However, with the 
objective of trying to help focus discussions and identify tangible o utcomes for MC12, each meeting 
would have a central theme (i.e. one of the pillars).  
 
The Member leading the pillar will be responsible for curating the meeting.  This includes:  
 
1. Drafting high level questions before the meeting to help guide each thematic discussion ;  
2. Sharing the questions with all Members in advance of the meeting ; 
3. Sharing a background or non -paper on their presentation before each meeting so that 
Members have an opportunity to review and come prepared to engage substantively in the 
IWG discussion ; 
4. Summarizing the discussion and presenting it to IWG members at the fo llowing IWG  meeting 
to ensure that everyone is on the same page and to give delegations the opportunity to 
provide new/updated information . 
 
With a view to helping the IWG deliver an outcome at MC12, the four thematic substantive meetings 
will take place i n the first three quarters of 2021 so as to allow for work in the fourth quarter to 
focus on MC12 deliverables. In this context, it would be important to remain flexible and pragmatic 
in terms of scheduling and keep open the possibility of holding addition al substantive meetings in 
late 2021 to focus on MC12 deliverables.  
 
Guiding Principles : 
 
- Each activity will be jointly sponsored by a developed and developing/less developed 
Member. However, in the spirit of flexibility and inclusivity, two or more develo ping/less 
developed Members could also sponsor an activity. The goal is to ensure that different voices INF/TGE/W/1/Rev.2  
 
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  are heard and recognize that all Members have perspectives to provide and experiences to 
share;  
 
- Recognizing the important and continuing role of the In ternational Trade Centre (ITC) in 
helping deliver on this work, as well as other organizations and experts such as 
the United  Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Organisation for 
Economic Co -operation and Development (OECD ), the United Nations Economic Commission 
for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC ), the International Labour Organization  
(ILO), and World Bank;  
 
- Recognizing the different levels of ambition of Member . 
 
Pillar  Activity  Lead for 
implementation  Timeline  Progress to 
Date 
RESEARCH AND DATA :  
 
Review and discuss gender -
related analytical work 
produced by the WTO 
Secretariat and other 
actors active on women's 
economic empowerment 
(e.g. OECD, ILO, World 
Bank, UNECLAC, ITC, etc.).  
 
 
 Potential presentations 
by the WTO Trade and 
Gender Focal Point o n 
the recent analytical 
work:   
 
This could be followed by 
other presenters on what 
they are doing in this space.  
 
Potential to include a 
presentation on the 
WTO/World Bank joint 
report on trade and gender 
of July 2020.  
 
Guiding Questions : Key 
data/indic ators to measure 
results and do gender 
impact assessments of trade 
agreements? What is the 
key data that needs to be 
collected to tell a trade and 
gender story in developed 
and developing markets? 
Can we establish a 
minimum standard of key 
gender disaggreg ated data 
that needs to be collected?  
 Developed 
Member : Canada  
 
Developing/less 
developed 
Member : TBC  
 
 26 February 2021  
 
 26 February 
2021:  
Presentation by 
WTO 
Secretariat and 
the World Bank 
of the joint 
report on 
"Women and 
Trade: The role 
of trade in 
promoting 
gender 
equality" from 
July 2020  
BEST PRACTICE 
WORKSHOPS/WEBINAR :  
 
Share best practices, 
information and exchange 
views on removing trade -
related barriers and 
increasing the participation 
of women in trade. As a 
first step, Members that  
have adopted ambitious or 
innovative initiatives would 
be invited to showcase 
their national and/or 
regional approaches and 
experiences as potential 
inspiration and guidance to 
others.  
 
 Potential presentations:   
 
Global Trade and Gender 
Arrangement by members 
of the Inclusive Trade Action 
Group (Canada, Chile and 
New Zealand)  
 
The experience of the 
Economic Community of 
West African States 
following the interesting 
information contained in the 
ITC report.  
 
Guiding  Questions :  What 
are important best practices 
to facilitate women’s 
participation in trade? What 
concrete results have been 
achieved? What were the 
challenges in implementing 
this policy or program? 
What are the key domestic 
policies that must be in 
place to ensure coherence 
with trade policies?  
 Developed 
Member : TBC  
 
Developing/less 
developed 
Member : TBC  
 
Expressions of 
Interest:  
Korea ; 
Turkey ; 
New Zealand ; 
Canada . 28 April 2021  
 26 February 
2021:  Australia 
(Trade and 
Gender related 
policies and 
practices), Chile 
(Trade and 
Gender 
chapters in 
FTAs) and 
Canada (gender 
responsive 
standards) 
presented on 
some best 
practices.  INF/TGE/W/1/Rev.2  
 
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  Pillar  Activity  Lead for 
implementation  Timeline  Progress to 
Date 
GENDER LENS :  
 
Consider and clarify what a 
'gender lens' is and how it 
could be applied to trade, 
and consider how a gender 
lens could usefully be 
applied to the work of the 
WTO, with a view to 
presenting a concept and 
work plan to Members at 
MC12.  Potential presentation s: 
 
Potential presenters could 
include: ITC, WTO, UNCTAD 
(e.g. tool box), European 
Union, Australia and 
Canada.  
Presentations by Canada 
and the European Union to 
share their experiences on 
conducting impact 
assessments of trade 
agreements on both an ex -
ante and ex -post basis.  
 
Objective would be to 
demonstrate what applying 
a gender lens means in 
practical terms, make it 
accessible to WTO MS, and 
demonstrate its potential 
value added.  
 
Consideration could be 
given to bringing a gender 
lens to WTO agreemen ts 
(e.g. services, IP, TBT, GP) 
and functions (e.g. 
committees, negotiations, 
accessions) and propose 
options to advance a gender 
responsive approach.  
 
Guiding questions:   What 
is a gender lens?  How could 
it be applied to WTO work? 
What are important 
considerations when 
applying a gender lens 
analysis? What concrete 
outcomes could result?  
 Developed 
Member :  
European Union 
 
Developing/less 
developed 
Member : TBC  
 
Expression of 
Interest: E uropean 
Union  
 
Other Expressions 
of Interest  
 23 June 2021   
AID FOR TRADE :  
 
Explore how best to 
support the delivery of the 
WTO Aid -for-Trade Work 
Programme.  Potential activity could 
consider the impact of 
COVID -19 on women's 
participation in trade and 
the importance of digital 
trade/e -commerce to 
address issues and capture 
opportunities. Potential 
leads could be ITC, UNCTAD 
and others.  
 
Guiding Questions : 
 Developed 
Member : TBC  
 
Developing/less 
developed 
Member : TBC  
 
Expression of 
interest:  Australia  
 16 July 2021   
 
 
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