The two-day gathering brought together local and international stakeholders, to advance strategies that promote women's participation in the economy.

SA’s Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, told delegates that there is a need for urgency of eliminating challenges that restrict women's economic empowerment, particularly those related to transportation and exporting goods.

"If you talk the transportation of goods in the region sometimes there are difficulties experienced in crossing the borders of countries different countries because of regulations that passed and promulgated by different countries that make it very difficult for women who are small  businesses, medium businesses, entrepreneurs to actually transport their goods or participating the transportation of goods. These are the issues that I believe we need to look into so that we can exclude or minimise those barriers," Chikunga said.

---SABC--