Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the SheTrades Accelerator Programme?

ITC SheTrades Accelerator Programme (STAP) is funded by GIZ and forms part of the Global Project Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

The SheTrades Initiative was established by the International Trade Centre to address the barriers women face to access economic opportunities. SheTrades works to connect millions of women entrepreneurs to markets while promoting their full participation in international trade.

The STAP programme aims to promote income generation and job creation for women-led businesses (WLBs) and their community by:

• Strengthening the business support ecosystem to better support the growth of women's economic empowerment initiatives and activities;

• Increasing the competitiveness of women-led businesses;

• Creating new market linkages and business opportunities for women-led businesses in the sector.

The programme supports women-led businesses (WLBs) and BSOs in the Apparel, Accessories, Home Decor and Jewelry sectors from Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Senegal, and South Africa.

As part of the partnership between ITC SheTrades Accelerator and  ITC SheTrades Commonwealth project, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, this programme also supports WLBs and BSOs in the Apparel, Accessories and Home Decor sectors in Pakistan.

2. Who is eligible to participate? 

Women-led businesses (WLBs) (businesses that have over 25% ownership and or management by women), business support organisations (BSOs) in Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Senegal, South Africa or Pakistan in the Apparel, Accessories, Home Decor and Jewelry sectors and members of supply chains of WLBs are eligible to participate in the programme. 

3. How can one participate in the programme? 

The programme offers a capacity building programme with three distinct components: 

1. Weekly Webinars and Virtual Workshops — find the programme agenda here. 

3. In-Country Workshops — all in-country workshops have been completed. Any additional in-person activities will be communicated to relevant participants via email.

2. One-On-One Mentoring Programme — applications for the mentorship programme are now closed.

4. Do I have to participate in the live sessions? 

Participants are encouraged to join the live session to allow you to engage in discussions, ask questions and receive clarification in real-time. All sessions are however recorded and uploaded to the platform to enable you to watch and learn at your own time and pace. You can find the previous sessions on the tab titled Archive on the left side of your dashboard. 

For any questions or clarifications, please reach out to us on shetradesaccelerator@intracen.org