In addition to being development organizations, CIDSE members also are engaged in advocacy and campaign activities, work that is facilitated through the Secretariat. For more information see http://www.cidse.org.

The Global Women's Project's particular contribution to the work of the Trade and Food Security Working Group is to bring a feminist analysis to the issues of agriculture and food security, to track the agenda of the U.S. in trade negotiations at the WTO and to enrich the Catholic Social teaching, the value-base of the working group. Working with CIDSE brings the project into partnerships not only with our European colleagues, but also with their over 100 partners in the global South.

Additional Resources

• Gender in Advocacy on Trade and Food Security (CIDSE - August 2006)

Trade can have a positive impact to lift women out of poverty, especially when it generates employment. However, trade has a different impact on men and women, as they are workers, consumers, producers and providers of the family household. Acknowledging differences between the economic and social status and situations of men and women is necessary. A key fact in agriculture is that women are the primary producers and providers of subsistence food for the family needs. Men are often more involved in cash crop and export production. Trade policies will impact on women's unpaid activity at the household and community levels as well as their activities as producers and sellers in local markets.