Technology and science are driving forces shaping the global economy. Therefore, digital inclusion and innovation play important roles for women’s economic empowerment, giving them new opportunities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). However, worldwide, women represent only 35% of STEM students and merely 3% of students in information and communication technology, indicating gender gaps in technology literacy, access and use. Also, rural women continue to be excluded from the benefits of innovation and the digital economy.

Within this global context and under the theme "Gender Equality and Innovation, the Keys to Sustainable Trade", the 2025 World Trade Congress on Gender intends to pioneer research on how gender equality, innovation and trade interconnect. In particular, the Congress will deepen the understanding of how women's empowerment can help countries promote innovation and how trade can contribute to this.

The Congress will also focus on policy practices and solutions around innovation that could accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment, ranging from specialised programmes targeting marginalized female communities to partnerships with start-ups, innovative financing and aid for trade programming, as well as pioneer capacity-building initiatives. It will also create an opportunity to explore the relations between gender equality and frontier technologies and non-tech interventions that challenge convictions and beliefs. Research presented at the Congress 2025 can focus on the following sub-themes below:

• Trade, gender and digitalisation
• Trade, gender and artificial intelligence
• Trade, gender and frontier technologies
• Trade, gender and green growth
• Trade, gender and health
• Trade, gender and policy innovation
• Trade, gender and innovative financing

Applicants are invited to submit a detailed abstract (between 600-700 words) following the requirements set in the application form. The abstracts must include enough details to provide a sufficient understanding of the work expected in the final paper. Only unpublished research work will be considered by the Congress Steering Committee for the selection of papers. Please use this online application form to submit your paper/abstract by 17 July 2024.