Mr Isaac Hubert Arthur, the Founder, said women’s participation in international trade is crucial to achieve the “Ghana beyond Aid” Agenda.

He said more women business owners should be included in trade policy making processes to ensure gender mainstreaming and understanding of the relevant trade policies that affect their businesses.

These were made known during a two-day capacity building workshop for women entrepreneurs by ACINTaD and the International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint UN and WTO organization based in Geneva under the project “SheTrades in the Commonwealth”.

Mr Arthur said the workshop was held to give stakeholders and participants an overview of the project and its goals as well as activities to be undertaken by hearing from participants about the key issues and challenges they encountered.

He said the ‘SheTrades in the Commonwealth’ project is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and also aimed at increasing economic growth and job creation in Commonwealth countries by enabling the increased participation of women-owned businesses in international trade.

Held under the theme “Preparing for the Export Market,” the Founder said, there is the need to build the capacity of more businesswomen to engage in international trade in order to contribute to achieving the ‘Ghana beyond Aid’ agenda.

Mr Arthur said ACINTaD in partnering with ITC to organise the workshop was strategic as both institutions are primarily focused on international trade and ACINTaD would be supporting ITC’s programs and activities in Ghana.

“We are looking forward to strengthen and deepen our relationship with the Geneva-based ITC to promote international trade and sustainable development in Africa,” he added.

Mr Arthur prayed for a strengthened and deepened relationship with the Geneva-based ITC to promote international trade and sustainable development in Africa”.

The workshop was attended by representatives of Ghana Export Promotion, Business Support Organisations, Women owned-Businesses and Private Sector Companies engaged in shea, textiles and apparel as well as Information Technology & Business Process Outsourcing sectors, among others.

Shari Hammond, National Coordinator of ITC SheTrades-Ghana, said the SheTrades in the Commonwealth Project being implemented in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Bangladesh would select women-owned businesses, business support organisations and corporations to benefit from a wide range of opportunities to expand their businesses.

They would be expected to jointly advance women‘s economic empowerment and create jobs in Commonwealth countries.

Madam Bernice Ansah, Chief Executive Officer of Bennyvelle Ventures, manufacturers of J&BA hair food, among others called on regulatory bodies to educate entrepreneurs on their activities to enable them register their products without hindrances.