Connecting women-owned businesses to international markets can strengthen economies and expand prosperity for everyone
Geneva, Switzerland, 29 September 2026 — OWIT International is advancing work on trusted digital trade corridors to help small businesses, particularly those owned by women, reach global customers and sell services across borders. By better connecting existing trade platforms, institutions and support services, the initiative aims to make international trade easier to navigate and open more businesses to opportunities for growth.
“When women-owned businesses can reach new markets, the benefits extend to the workers they hire, the suppliers they buy from and the communities they support,” said Noreen Burroughes Casareo, president of OWIT International. “Digital trade corridors could help more women compete internationally, creating opportunities that strengthen economies and expand prosperity for everyone.”
The initiative builds on OWIT’s session, “Trusted Inclusive Digital Trade Corridors for Inclusive Services Trade,” held on 16 September during the WTO Public Forum 2026 in Geneva. The discussion brought together senior representatives from government, international organisations and business to examine how these corridors could work in practice.
Participants explored a central question: can the platforms, institutions and services already available be better connected to help smaller businesses navigate international markets? The emphasis was on making existing resources work together rather than creating another standalone solution.
For small businesses, especially women-owned and other underserved enterprises, the aim is a clearer path to the connections and support needed to trade across borders. For the wider economy, broader participation can bring more suppliers, greater competition and new sources of innovation and growth.
The discussion came against the backdrop of the WTO’s World Trade Report 2026, which examines the economic consequences of weakening global trade cooperation. Its findings underscore the stakes for businesses that must navigate an increasingly fragmented and complex trading system.
OWIT’s work puts a practical question at the centre of that debate: how can greater cooperation translate into opportunities businesses can use? Helping more women participate in global trade is part of the answer—and a means of building stronger, more resilient economies that benefit everyone.
Caption: OWIT International panel speakers and invited discussants at the WTO Public Forum 2026 roundtable session, “Trusted Inclusive Digital Trade Corridors for Inclusive Services Trade,” in Geneva.
Notes to Editors
WTO Public Forum 2026
The WTO Public Forum, held in Geneva from 15–17 September 2026 under the theme “Powering the Future,” placed services at the centre of the discussion. The Forum featured 540 speakers across 113 sessions, with more than 4,000 participants registered from business, government, civil society, academia and international organisations.
The WTO describes services as representing more than two-thirds of global GDP and accounting for more employment than any other sector. Services trade volume is projected to expand by 4.8% in 2026.
World Trade Report 2026
The WTO’s World Trade Report 2026: A Critical Juncture for the World Trading System was launched on 15 September at the Public Forum. It examines the achievements of the multilateral trading system over the past 80 years, the challenges it now faces and the economic implications of different possible trajectories for future trade cooperation.
WTO simulations estimate that an enhanced multilateral cooperation scenario could raise global GDP by 2.9% and exports by 17.9% by 2050 relative to the baseline trajectory. A geo-fragmented scenario could reduce GDP by 5.1% and exports by 18.6%, while replacement of multilateral cooperation by a network of free trade agreements could reduce GDP by 6.9% and exports by 26.9%.
Sources
World Trade Organization, World Trade Report 2026: A Critical Juncture for the World Trading System, published 15 September 2026. https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/world-trade-report-2026_e.htm
World Trade Organization, Public Forum 2026 – Powering the Future, 15–17 September 2026 https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/public_forum26_e/public_forum26_e.htm.
World Trade Organization, Annual Report 2026.
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wto-annual-report-2026_e.htm
About OWIT International
The Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) is a global network dedicated to advancing women’s participation, leadership, and commercial success in international trade and cross-border business established in 1989. Through locally-operated chapters across Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and other regions, OWIT delivers programmes, mentorship, training, education initiatives, thought leadership, and market-focused events that build capability, enable knowledge exchange, and foster international and domestic business connections.
Working in partnership with governments, international organisations, academia, and the private sector, OWIT contributes to trade dialogue and market-development initiatives that expand inclusive economic opportunity worldwide. Membership provides access to a dynamic global professional community spanning multiple sectors and regions.
For more information on OWIT, visit https://owit.org or contact us at admin@owit.org.
Contact Information:
Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT)
OWIT President, Noreen Burroughes Cesareo MBE
Email: president@owit.org