Dr. Mary L. Mbithi is an expert in trade policy, and the Director  of Researcher at the Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub (WEE Hub) in Kenya, at the  University of Nairobi. She is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics and development  Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya and associate faculty of the Trade Policy Centre in Africa  (TRAPCA). She has carried out research and analysis work and capacity building on various trade  policy and gender including the WTO trade regime, regional integration and trade policy in East  African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and  the African region in general. Her other research work also informs policy related to MSMEs / SMES; intra- regional trade, trade facilitation, trade and food security, trade policy and food  security, trade and climate change, and on trade, poverty and development. She has been a  consultant with governments in various African countries, civil society, private sector and with  international and regional organization. She has also undertaken extensive work to inform policy  and strategies for inclusion and enhanced mainstreaming of gender in economic sectors and in  regional and international trade and has carried out extensive training for stakeholders on trade  policy and gender, and enhanced participation of women in intraregional trade. She is passionate  about international trade policy and gender.