DUBAI- Dubai Exports, the export promotion agency of Dubai Economy, together with the International Trade Centre, ITC, has launched the first of its kind ‘SheTrades Middle East Hub’ to connect women entrepreneurs to markets and support greater economic empowerment of women.
Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General of the Department of Economic Development,DED, and Ms. Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, launched the Hub alongside the regional meeting of the Arab Countries Trade and Investment Organisations Network, ACTION, hosted by Dubai Exportsin partnership with ITC and the support of the Aid for Trade Initiative for Arab States, AfTIAS.
Part of a global SheTrades initiative spearheaded by ITC with the goal of connecting one million women to international markets by 2020, the hub seeks to rally support from policymakers, business community and women’s organisations to leverage trade as a channel for the economic empowerment of women. Research shows that working women would raise household income by up to 25 percent in Arab countries and in the UAE, an equal number of women and men working would raise the country’s GDP by 12 per cent.Female entrepreneurs tend to be more innovative, largely due to their ability to perceive opportunities in a different manner, Sami Al Qamzi commented, reflecting on the outcomes of the entrepreneurial support initiatives of DED. “Female entrepreneurs now hold 58.5 percent of the e-Trader licences, whichDED launched to enable Emiratis and GCC citizens living in Dubai to conduct business on social networking sites.