As we mark International Women's Day on 8 March, this episode of The Weekly Tradecast looks at the importance of investing in women with special guest Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, the UN’s trade and development body. Overall, the outlook for gender equality is not as bright as it should be. Women and girls make up nearly half of humanity but still lack equal opportunities in societies and economies. That means they often get less access to education and healthcare, are paid less than men and are more likely to leave work to care for families. Projections now show that closing the global gender gap will take almost 132 years – about 30 years more than estimated in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Tune in to UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan to find out how inclusion, investment and opportunities for women support sustainable development, build economies and strengthen societies.