Despite fate
sending me a slipped disc and the flight being delayed by nearly an hour, I did
make it to Brussels. When I arrived at my hotel this afternoon I
realised, as I checked in for 11 nights, that this will probably be the longest I've slept in the same bed for that many consecutive nights for years!
International trade is a great job – whichever area you’re in – but it does
tend to turn us into nomads.
I was told
the World Customs Organisation (WCO) buildings were just around the corner from
the hotel and guess what – they are. It took me exactly 6 minutes to get
there – what to do now for the 3 hours before the Reception of the Women in
International Trade? Brussels seems a strange city – high buildings,
glass sky-scrapers, concrete shopping malls and wonderful hidden gems like an
old theatre 1920’s art nouveau style and the Notre Dame Chapel in the centre of
a concrete shopping precinct. I must find time to explore – just wish my
French was better. I keep thinking of German and Spanish words to say
hello, thank you, etc … very confusing.
6pm and the
Reception – or cocktail party as I fancifully called it - for Women in
International Trade. I know I’m a woman in international trade but things
like this do make me cringe a little. I mean, why not an event for men in
international trade as well? But I had to go – and I’m glad I did.
I am stupid – just because I've never felt held back or kept under by being a
female just means I've been lucky or too stupid to notice and this is partly
thanks to the society I grew up in, I suppose. Other countries in the
world are much more blatantly male-dominated (remember - we've only had one
female Prime Minister, though!) but even in these developing markets women have
made a significant mark on Customs Administrations. Which is quite exceptional
because despite strong evidence of the vast benefits of women’s empowerment, in
many parts of the world women remain poorer and lack access to the same
opportunities as men.
Yet, somehow
the areas of international trade compliance and customs authorities are seen as
an acceptable job for women and many can made it into senior roles such as Ms
Agnes Katsonga who is the Commissioner of Customs and Excise for the Malawi
Revenue Authority, Ms Allen Kagina, Commissioner General, Uganda Revenue
Authority and Ms Claudia Maria Gaviria, Customs Director General, Republic of
Columbia, to name just 3. It is amazing how women in the developing world are
becoming increasingly engaged in international trade. And economic empowerment
of both men and women, supported by trade, can support positive social,
economic and national revenue outcomes.
Even in the
UK/EU I have seen how women are attracted – at all levels – to the job of
customs compliance, import administrator, export controller. Maybe I've never felt held back because I accidentally choose the right profession, though,
to be more accurate, I should say the right profession choose me. It was
great meeting these men and women from different countries being able to find fulfillment and success in this area of business and government. Customs
administrations play a key role in supporting trade facilitation and economic
development in developing countries. Gender equality is, obviously, key to a
country’s economic, social and democratic development as it generates higher
growth outcomes and lower poverty so I won’t be so negative next time.
How can strong and Herd LLP
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