Free and open trade plays an important role in economic growth and development, delivering better jobs, incomes, skills and many other benefits. With appropriate and efficient trade policies, these gains can contribute to other development outcomes and support the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. The nexus between trade and gender is, however, complex and multidimensional. It involves a range of social, economic and cultural issues, and is conditional on sectors, jurisdictions, and individual socioeconomic and education levels. On a positive note, trade can impact women through multiple transmission channels, including better economic opportunities, technological upgrading, socioeconomic empowerment, and labor reforms. The key mechanism is through the expansion of comparative advantage sectors where women are more likely concentrated: as these sectors expand... — blog.adb.org/blogs