Empowering Women in Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade Between Benin, Ghana and Togo

Elements of Innovation

• Diversity, Gender and Inclusion
• Regular Pathways

What is the project about?

A two-way relationship exists between migration and trade: migration contributes to trade and also benefits from it. The project addresses this relationship, particularly highlighting the role that small-scale cross-border trade (SSCBT) plays in local economies across Africa. SSCBT sustains the livelihoods of numerous individuals, particularly women, and contributes to poverty reduction, job creation, and food security.

Despite its importance, SSCBT has lacked adequate policy research and support, especially concerning women traders. This project aims to bridge this gap by focusing on the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, a crucial trade route in the sub-region, encompassing countries along the borders of Benin, Ghana, and Togo. The primary objective is to enhance community development in these border areas by creating an enabling environment for women engaged in SSCBT. Through these efforts, the project aspires to drive sustainable development and empower women traders in the targeted regions.

How is the project innovative?

At the core of its innovation, this project focuses on gender dynamics at the intersection of migration and trade. The project focuses on empowering women traders, a group comprising 40 percent of the sector. This is being achieved through a gender-sensitive analytical report on SSCBT, and the promotion of an enabling environment through increased knowledge and collaboration among local and border authorities, civil society, and women involved in trade within the three countries.

This distinctive approach extends its impact across Africa, particularly in the Abidjan-Lagos corridor - a pivotal trade route for an estimated 70 million people. By directing dedicated research, responses, and empowerment initiatives towards women traders working across this corridor, the project paves the way for gender-inclusive, sustainable development in the area. Strengthening community development within the targeted border regions, the initiative also sets a precedent for addressing gender disparities in trade practices throughout the continent. This undertaking stands not only as an endeavor to empower individuals, but also as a blueprint for reshaping economies and fostering equitable progress.