Woman in Global Trade

Women in Global Trade

IPD promotes the economic participation of women

Often underestimated, women in developing and emerging countries play a central role in providing for and securing the income of their families. They mainly work in agriculture, processing and sales. Nevertheless, women have little access to education and career opportunities or to land ownership and credit. The economic potential of women therefore remains untapped.

Women make up 50 per cent of the world's population. Their full integration into the economy contributes to their social status and strengthens women's rights. Furthermore, equal participation of women promotes economic growth in the countries and thus benefits everyone.

Foreign trade promotion: potential for equality

IPD's demand-driven trade promotion and the creation of long-term business relationships promote economic development in IPD partner countries. As a result, women have more opportunities for equal participation in economic life. An increase in export turnover enables women-owned and women-led enterprises to expand their production, create new jobs, generate investment capital and support social and environmental projects in their local communities.

A key focus of IPD is to create new employment, training and career opportunities for women as part of business development. IPD specifically supports women-owned businesses.

The IPD's services to these women entrepreneurs include:

Networking
Capacity building
Mentoring opportunities
Matchmaking with European importers

IPD promotes the empowerment of women entrepreneurs by addressing their specific needs and supporting them in overcoming prejudices and disadvantages.

As a member of the development policy network "Partners in Transformation – Business & Development Network" IPD supports the strategy for feminist development policy of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In the field of international trade promotion, IPD is contributing to the economic empowerment of women.

Empowering women: diverse approaches with a sustainable effect

Community & Networking

In the newly founded "Women in Global Trade" network, IPD brings together women in the export and import business. IPD creates a platform for dialogue at eye level.

Women from all over the world contribute their perspectives and highlight the importance of gender equality. It is about networking and discussing experiences with challenges in trade and sharing best practices for overcoming women-specific barriers. It is a meeting place for ´Women in Global Trade` who want to make a difference together across national and sectoral borders.

Network: Women in Global Trade

The official kick-off event for the ‘Women in Global Trade’ network was held at SIAL in Paris - the world's leading food trade fair - to which IPD had invited female entrepreneurs and female specialists in foreign trade.

The aim of IPD is to establish a network that promotes co-operation between women in international trade.

Various activities are planned to strengthen dialogue and exchange. These include regular networking events, training courses and specialist meetings to support the transfer of knowledge and establish a strong community of business women.

Capacity Building

The IPD trains the companies in the IPD programme on export-related topics such as import regulations, certifications, quality standards and social and environmental market requirements, and prepares the companies for product presentations and negotiations.

Women-led companies receive targeted support in the IPD workshops. The IPD's capacity building programme is being expanded to include an e-learning course that raises awareness among all companies - both women- and men-run - of the importance of women's economic participation and gender equality in the workplace and beyond.

IPD Mentoring programme

At the end of 2024, IPD launched a mentoring programme for female managers in IPD partner companies - with great success: 40 tandems took part and received valuable impetus for their personal and professional development. The mentees were able to choose from five thematic focal points that specifically support the empowerment of women in business: Career & Leadership, Finance & Management, Marketing & Networking, Equality & Inclusion, Work-Life Balance.

The programme comprised three coaching sessions with experienced female mentors from companies and could be extended if required.

The feedback shows: For many participants, mentoring was a real turning point. They gained structure, new perspectives and confidence in their entrepreneurial skills. They learnt how to share challenges, integrate support and prepare for new markets in a more targeted way - for example, through better knowledge of EU regulations or necessary product adaptations.

Mentoring is not a one-way street

Dr Esther M. Nkuba, Managing Director of the IPD company Tunu Agriproducts in Tanzania, and Pamela Stenzel, international business lawyer and Co-Chair of the International Commission of the ‘Association of Women Entrepreneurs’ in Germany, are one of more than 40 tandems in the IPD mentoring programme.

Dr Esther M. Nkuba: ‘The exchange with Pamela is invaluable. She asks the right questions that help me and my company move forward. At the same time, her European perspective is very helpful. It allows me to look at my topics from different angles.’

Pamela Stenzel: ‘International female entrepreneurs always find common themes - Esther and I do too. I was immediately impressed by her commitment to high-quality, sustainable spices. For me, the mentoring programme is ‘sisterhood’ in action - concrete and full of inspiring moments, for which we in the ‘Association of Women Entrepreneurs’ are very grateful.’

Multipliers in the partner countries

In the partner countries, IPD works closely with export promotion organisations, known as Business Support Organisations (BSOs). IPD supports them in developing their export promotion services. A key aspect of this is the expansion of services for women-owned businesses.

Cross-border training

15 BSOs from eight IPD partner countries participate in the first specific training on gender equality in export promotion.

BSO staff are made aware of the specific needs of women-owned businesses. They are supported in reviewing their existing services and developing ideas for new services that take into account the needs of women entrepreneurs.

The virtual training programme was launched in September. Individual coaching sessions with the BSOs on site are planned for 2025.

Best Practice Sri Lanka: Training courses for female entrepreneurs are a success

With the support of IPD, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has developed a training programme for women-owned businesses.

Using the train-the-trainer method, 12 EDB business coaches were trained by the IPD – 11 of them women. They conduct the customised training courses, whose curricula specifically take into account the specific requirements and export experience of female entrepreneurs.

The aim of the programme is to provide participants with in-depth knowledge of market information, EU market trends, effective sales techniques, corporate social responsibility (CSR), export market entry requirements and EU market standards.

Utilising cooperations and synergies

One of the IPD's success criteria is sustainable cooperation with players from business, trade and development cooperation - both in IPD partner countries and in Europe. This means recognising each partner's strengths, leveraging synergies, avoiding duplication, developing projects together and leading them to success.

The IPD incorporates the topics of women's economic participation and gender equality in the workplace into its existing partnerships and is expanding its network.

New partnerships to support female entrepreneurs

IPD works closely with the Association of German Women Entrepreneurs (VdU) and the Women in Business (WiB) network to provide the best possible support for women-owned businesses and female entrepreneurs.

Both partners will contribute their expertise to both the mentoring and capacity building programmes. There will also be stronger links between the WiB Women Exporters Programme and the IPD programme.

In the fresh produce sector, IPD has a partnership with Global Women Fresh, a trade association focused on the empowerment of women in the fruit and vegetable sector. At Fruit Logistica 2025, the two partners organised a 'Women's Panel and Networking Event' under the theme 'Global Perspectives on Women in AgriBusiness: Building Inclusive Supply Chains'. The aim is to develop solutions to the challenges faced by women in global trade.

Interview

"Female entrepreneurs are role models for self-determination and participation"

Tabea Mack, team leader of the sourcing and markets department at the IPD in Bonn, explains the IPD's engagement for the empowerment of women and outlines the plans to strengthen equal participation in economic life.

Women entrepreneur stories

Founded by women – powered by women!

IPD supports many small and medium enterprises in developing countries that are founded and successfully run by women.

The women entrepreneurs in the IPD programme use their position to provide women and other marginalised groups with access to formal employment, education and training. In doing so, they create the conditions for equal economic and social participation of women in developing and emerging countries.

Alongside strengthening women’s rights, empowerment also promotes economic growth in these countries.

Here you can read stories of women entrepreneurs who illustrate the potential of empowerment.