UNCTAD unveils 7 top advocates for women in tech and ecommerce

In April, I reported that UNCTAD had set up an “eTrade for Women” programme. Our Board member, Mpho Sekwele, then started a monthly series of interviews of women in ecommerce and tech which we have carried in this Newsletter. The interviews are being used by the UNCTAD and WTO as case studies to promote greater engagement of women. UNCTAD’s initiative has identified the need to harness the positive impact of digital technology, combined with the transformative power of female entrepreneurship, to accelerate wealth creation and poverty reduction in developing countries. Seven women from across the developing world were announced as UNCTAD’s first “eTrade for Women Advocates” on 24 September at the UN General Assembly in New York. These women are challenging the gender gap by building flourishing digital businesses and creating wealth and employment in their countries through vision, passion and dedication. They are; Xiaofei Yao, Patricia Zoundi Yao (Côte d’Ivoire), Claudia de Heredia, Clarisse Iribagiza (Rwanda), Helianti Hilman,  Nina Angelovska, and Nazanin Daneshvar.

The eTrade for Women project is part of UNCTAD’s eTrade For All programme supported by the Netherlands and complements UNCTAD’s work in support of digital entrepreneurs, such as the eFounders Fellowship, which empowers young entrepreneurs to be game-changers and champions for the new economy.