The two-day Southern Africa Youth Consultative Meeting on the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is underway in Windhoek.

The meeting will deliberate on how to address the specific constraints and barriers women and youth face when trading on the continent, as per the protocols.

Keynote speaker, Trade and Industrialization Minister Lucia Ipumbu says through the protocols, women and youth play a critical role in the achievement of free trade by coming up with youth-led initiatives, particularly in the agriculture sector, financial services, ICT, and creative industries.

She says women in trade face challenges such as complex export procedures and intimidation.