Gender inequality occurs not only in relation to inclusivity and export market access capability, but also in the intensity and extensiveness of agri-food exports in developing countries, particularly in Africa. Women are disproportionally affected by technical measures –mainly food safety measures – in the G20. Economic factors, such as inadequate access to finance, lack of quality infrastructure and inadequate technology adoption, and socio-cultural and religious factors, such as inadequate education and training, limited access to land, and restrictions on inheritance and movement, have contributed to women’s inadequate compliance with technical measures in export markets. This affects their access to the export market. These challenges are adversely impacting the extent to which women contribute to sustainable households and national economic development.

This policy brief examines the gender inequality effects in developing countries, particularly in Africa, of the G20 technical measures in agri-food export. To address the challenges of gender inequality in the context of the G20 technical measures and to reduce gender inequalities in market access in the agri-food sector, we propose the following for Africa and other developing countries: mainstream gender-equality clauses into all the G20 development cooperation documentation; reduce inequality in access to land, finance, inheritance, quality infrastructure and technology; engage in due diligence in terms of rights to land and productive resources; channel development assistance to direct beneficiaries; adopt an inclusive approach to women’s empowerment; integrate women into export markets through the G20’s soft power in trade arrangements; and support the establishment in the G20 of user- friendly digitalised market access conditions information hubs.