The eTrade for Women Initiative, launched by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has been successful in empowering women entrepreneurs, including through hosting Masterclasses globally since its inception in New York in 2019. These Masterclasses, with a common goal of assisting women entrepreneurs in taking their businesses to the next level, have played a crucial role in enabling female entrepreneurs to become leaders of the digital transformation.
Now, the eTrade for Women Initiative is taking a step further towards empowering women digital entrepreneurs in the Pacific region. From 24 to 27 July 2023, the Initiative will host an in-person Masterclass for women digital entrepreneurs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, covering the Pacific region for the first time. The training will equip participants with the necessary skills and tools to succeed in the digital world and provide them with a great opportunity to gain new insights, exchange experiences and expand networks in a community of experts and female founders of digital businesses.
“Through the Masterclasses, the eTrade for Women initiative aims to promote women’s economic empowerment in the digital space, not just as consumers or buyers, but as leaders, sellers and innovators “, said Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of UNCTAD’s Division on Technology and Logistics.
UNCTAD is collaborating with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and Ms Lennise Ng, co-founder and CEO of Dropee as well as an eTrade for Women Advocate, to ensure the success of the Masterclass. “Being a woman in the tech space, which is traditionally more male-dominated, can be a lonely experience. This Masterclass will bring together women business founders from across South-East Asia and the Pacific, to learn and to build a unique community of peers, who can understand and support each other”, said Ms. Ng.
The delivery of this training is one of the key activities under the Pacific Digital Economy Programme that steps towards fulfilling Measure 6.1.5 of the Pacific Regional E-commerce Strategy. This Measure seeks to enhance the digital and business skills of women owners and managers in the Pacific.
Women in Digital Businesses from eligible countries in the Pacific must submit completed online applications by 5 May 2023. For more information and how to apply see below:
