Beyond Barriers

The paper argues that trade policies are often gender-blind and can reduce the policy space for states to implement pro-gender development strategies. It highlights the critical role of the informal economy, where approximately 70% of traders in sub-Saharan Africa are women, and suggests that regional trade agreements (RTAs) are better suited to women's needs than large global markets. The authors identify institutional and legal hurdles—rather than social traditions—as the primary obstacles to women's business growth. The document recommends the adoption of a 'gender perspective' in trade analysis and the creation of a gender-sensitivity yardstick for RTAs to ensure that trade liberalization does not exacerbate existing inequalities, particularly in the agricultural sector.

• Women are disproportionately represented in the informal economy in sub-Saharan Africa, with women making up around 70 percent of informal traders.
• National, institutional, and legal barriers are more significant obstacles to women's earning capacity than the social perpetuation of gender gaps.
• Regional trade agreements (RTAs) are generally more advantageous for women than larger export markets because neighboring markets are more familiar and easier to navigate.
• International trade agreements often ignore societal imbalances by focusing on net economic benefit and market-based criteria; specifically, Article XX of the GATT does not address women's rights.
• Trade liberalization in agriculture can exacerbate gender inequality, as women often lack the land rights, credit, and technology needed to exploit new opportunities.
• The SADC Gender and Development Protocol requires member states to make trade policies gender-responsive and include women's networks in trade structures by 2010, yet it lacks a direct link to the SADC Trade Protocol.
• The WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Standards (SPS) may hinder women's participation in the fish export industry due to their lack of access to the capital and technology required to meet these standards.
• Trade agreements can limit the 'policy space' available to national governments to implement empowerment initiatives for women.

APA

Kiratu, S., & Roy, S. (2010). Beyond Barriers. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/beyond_barriers_gender_south_africa.pdf

Chicago

Kiratu, Sheila, and Suryapratim Roy. Beyond Barriers. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/beyond_barriers_gender_south_africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kiratu |first1=Sheila |last2=Roy |first2=Suryapratim |title=Beyond Barriers |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/beyond_barriers_gender_south_africa.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kiratu2010beyond, author = {Kiratu, Sheila and Roy, Suryapratim}, title = {{Beyond Barriers}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/beyond_barriers_gender_south_africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }