The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) in collaboration with the GIZ Trade Hub will host the GNCCI Women’s Conference 2023 in Accra on November 15, 2023.

The conference is to educate women-led/women-owned businesses on the protocols and implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement and discuss challenges faced by women in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector within the context of the agreement.

The event, supported by the GIZ Trade Hub, is on the theme: "Making AfCFTA Work Through A Deliberate Inclusion Of Women.”

It will also explore opportunities presented by AfCFTA for women entrepreneurs, interact with women entrepreneurs to understand their challenges and preparedness for trading under the Agreement and present policy recommendations for Ghana's contribution to Agreement Protocols on Women and Youth.

A statement signed by Madam Grace Akosua Dzeble, Head of Marketing, GNCCI said the conference aims to address the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the SME sector within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

It said the African Union's Report on 'Unlocking the Potential of African Women to Grow their Enterprises' underscores the persistent challenges women face in business due to various factors, including unequal access to education, production resources, and trade facilities.

The statement added despite these hurdles, women contribute significantly to the sector, forming about 44% of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise sector in Ghana, according to the World Bank report.

It said baseline research conducted by CUTS International in 2022 highlighted that women were the most uninformed about the details and benefits of the AfCFTA.

It said in the past three years, the GNCCI had led several national programs to prepare Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the AfCFTA. “Recognising the need for more focused and continued support for women-led businesses, the Chamber is organising the GNCCI Women's Conference with support