WTCG 2025: World Trade Congress on Gender 2025 World Trade Organization Geneva, Switzerland, June 24-27, 2025

CONF / Cfn – World Trade Congress on Gender, 24-27 June 2025, World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

Organized by the WTO Gender Research Hub, the WTO Trade and Gender Office and UN Women

Deadline to submit abstracts: 17 July 2024

The WTO has issued a call for papers for the second edition of World Trade Congress on Gender, to be held on 24-27 June in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme “Gender Equality and Innovation — the Keys to Sustainable Trade”. Jointly organized by the WTO, the WTO Gender Research Hub and UN Women, the second Congress aims to present research exploring the intricate connections between gender equality, innovation and trade.

 Focusing on how women's empowerment drives innovation and how trade can support this process, the Congress — the only international research conference on trade and gender — will provide researchers and policymakers with a platform for in-depth discussions and insights on the role of innovation in enhancing gender equality, the impact of new technologies on women's access to trade opportunities, and how trade policies can foster innovation for women's empowerment.

The Congress will spotlight inventive policy practices and solutions aimed at accelerating gender equality and women’s empowerment. From specialized programmes for marginalized female communities to innovative financing and Aid for Trade programming, the event will explore diverse avenues for advancing gender equality in and through trade.

Researchers are now invited to submit proposals for research papers focusing on various subthemes, including digitalization, artificial intelligence, green growth, health and innovative financing, among others. The background note on the second edition of the Congress is available at the following link: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news24_e/women_27may24_e.pdf

Application process

Experts working in research institutions, academia, international and regional organizations (including development banks), non-governmental organization (NGOs) and governments are invited to submit detailed abstracts (600-700 words) for consideration. Submissions must adhere to the guidelines provided in the application form, and the abstracts must include enough details to provide a sufficient understanding of the work expected in the final paper. Only unpublished research will be considered.

The selection process will be overseen by the Congress Steering Committee, comprising members of the WTO Gender Research Hub representing research institutions, academia and international organizations as well as representatives from UN Women. Selected applicants will be notified by 23 October 2024.

Interested researchers and experts are invited to submit their papers/abstracts using the following application form:https://wto.formstack.com/forms/world_trade_congress_on_gender_24_27_june_2025_call_for_papers

Background on the World Trade Congress on Gender

The World Trade Congress on Gender aims to advance innovative research on trade and gender by convening leading experts and showcasing impactful studies on women's issues worldwide. This global platform facilitates the exchange of perspectives among trade and gender specialists, fostering gender mainstreaming in research and informing policymakers on inclusive trade policies.

The theme of the inaugural Congress, held in 2022 at the WTO, was “Gender Equality for Sustainable Trade and Recovery,” marking the first international research conference on trade and gender. Open to academics, students, international organizations, NGOs, the private sector and government representatives, the Congress serves as a vital forum to advance research and policymaking on inclusive trade.

WTO Gender Research Hub

The WTO Gender Research Hub was launched on 31 May 2021 as part of the WTO's 2021-2026 Action Plan on Trade and Gender with the objective of deepening understanding of the trade and gender nexus and fostering research and data collection.

The Hub serves as an information-sharing and knowledge-gathering platform where the latest findings of researchers and experts can be shared and disseminated globally through the Research Database on Trade and Gender. It also aims to foster research partnerships, help collect published research for easier access to experts' findings, bring visibility to the work on trade and gender and promote the topic as a recognized field of research and expertise. Finally, the Hub helps in bridging the gap between researchers and policymakers in the area of trade and gender.

For more information, please contact trade-gender@wto.org.