Empowering women is a significant step on the road towards achieving sustainable development, one the of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) main goals. Today, 124 WTO Members and Observers (representing more than 75% of world trade and two-thirds of the WTO membership) support the Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment endorsed in the margins of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, which seeks to remove trade barriers women face and foster their economic empowerment. This Declaration has made the WTO a key contributor, and even a leader, on the issue of women’s empowerment, in support of development and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, it is important to note that inclusive trade is, and always has been, at the heart of the WTO’s work. The paper therefore offers a preliminary analysis of the various areas of the WTO where women considerations can be used to contribute to building a more inclusive trade system, whether through the numerous provisions of the WTO covered agreements or within the ‘policy space’ that currently exists in the WTO framework. By lowering trade barriers, the WTO can help everyone to participate. Supporting the integration of women into international trade is fundamental to ensuring that everyone can reap the benefits of global trade.

Paper has been prepared by the authors in their personal capacities. It has benefited greatly from two rounds of discussion in the WTO's Working Party on GATS Rules, in the course of which many useful suggestions were provided by WTO delegations. The authors have attempted to reflect these suggestions as far as possible given the necessity of maintaining appropriate neutrality regarding potential negotiating issues. Thanks are due to Felipe Sandoval (former Chairman of the Working Party on GATS Rules), Hamid Mamdouh (Director of the WTO's Services Division) and Antony Taubman