Conference Agenda

Proposed by the Gender and Trade Coalition, a 350 member strong feminist alliance for trade justice, this roundtable will ignite a discussion envisioning feminist alternative trade systems, which include agrarian reform, mineral-based development, corporate accountability, post-conflict recovery, and climate justice. Speakers will represent leading feminist and development organizations who are developing a series of accessible ‘explainer’ articles unpacking these policy issues.

Globally, there are over 3000 bilateral or multilateral agreements that govern global trade and investment beyond those agreed under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). These agreements have forced countries to open their markets allowing for the unhindered flow of global capital, remove tariffs–a huge source of domestic revenue and therefore public expenditures–and limit national policy space to regulate the flow of goods and capital, support domestic production, or protect public interests. As a result, public services–water, health, education, and energy–are subject to commercialisation and privatization. Alongside this, the Investor State-Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions allow corporations to sue countries in secret tribunals over any policy that infringes on their ‘expected’ profits and investments.

While the international trade regime has been historically blind to its gendered impact, it is slowly being compelled to address the issue after several decades of feminist campaigning. In the WTO, however, gender is being deployed to advance further liberalization in new areas–services, e-commerce, government procurement, and foreign investment–without acknowledging the negative impact of current trade rules on women’s human rights. This appears to dovetail global North countries promoting feminist foreign policy agendas that mostly miss the mark of what feminist movements demand.

Feminist alternative trade systems would aim to promote international trade and exchange based on solidarity and complementarity, striking a balance between respect for national sovereignty and domestic policy space alongside state obligations under multilateral human rights norms. It would be guided by equality, democracy, and human rights, requiring the regulation of the corporate sector–whether financial, digital, big pharmaceutical or agro-business–in times of peace or post-conflict. It should also advance genuine agrarian reform, tackle the climate crisis, and promote domestic industries.

The roundtable objectives are to:

Share evidence of how trade and investment agreements affect domestic policies and women’s human rights.

Explore strategies challenging the current trade system, including international regulation or treaties and alternative trade agreement models.

Emphasize the Gender and Trade Coalition’s feminist analysis and advocacy.

Seek alliances to deepen feminist economics scholarship that envisions feminist alternative trade systems.