Speaking notes: Deputy Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. Remarks: G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group Meeting – 3rd Technical Meeting
The Minister responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Honourable Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga
The Honourable Premier of Mpumalanga – Mr Mandla Ndlovu
Honourable MECs
The Directors-General of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Adv Joyce Maluleke (DWYPD)
The Director-General in the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga: Ms Maggie Skhosana
Members of the Diplomatic Corps, both from the High Commissions/Embassies and those that travelled from Capital
Representatives of the International Organisations and Knowledge Partners
Guests of the South African delegation from Private Sector, Academic, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
Good Morning!!!
As we bring this G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group Technical Meeting to a close, I wish to extend my deepest appreciation to all of you for your dedication, your expertise, and your collective to advance the rights and empowerment of women and girls across the globe.
This meeting has been a powerful space of shared purpose. We have engaged in thoughtful and sometimes difficult conversations, recognizing that the path toward gender equality requires not only commitment, but concrete action and accountability.
The EWWG advances the needs and issues of the most neglected vulnerable groups, which society and those in policy drafting and decision making has often neglected. These issues are not only cross-cutting and multi-dimensional but affect the most vulnerable, in most dire and impactful way(s). We are all witness to that!
Our deliberations over the past days have centered on three urgent and interlinked priorities of our Working Group:
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First, we had comprehensive discussions on the Care Economy focusing on both paid and unpaid care work. We acknowledged that caregiving, too often undervalued and invisible, is the backbone of our societies and economies. Elevating the status of care work, ensuring decent wages and conditions for care workers, and addressing the unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities are not just gender issues but they are economic imperatives.
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Second, we emphasized the need to accelerate financial inclusion for women and girls. Access to financial services, digital tools, credit, and entrepreneurship opportunities are vital levers for economic independence and long-term security. We must continue to dismantle the structural and social barriers that keep women from full participation in the financial system.
Chairperson, I am happy that we are beginning to see the tangibles that will emerge from the South African G20 Presidency. One of these is the action plan on financial inclusion which starts to define the key strategic focus or Pillars, Action areas, initiatives that we could adopt as G20 members to drive financial inclusion. This action plan or framework will assist to ensure systemic reform, institutional accountability, and policy innovation grounded in lived realities and rigorous evidence.
Secondly, we are putting forward policy briefs on policy perspectives on the care economy and on addressing GBV. These policy briefs set out recommendations as the G20. In addition, the G20 partners have also put forward possible frameworks such as the 5 R framework, the SIGI framework etc for member states to utilise at the national levels.
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And thirdly, we confronted the deeply troubling and pervasive realities of gender-based violence and femicide. No society can claim to be just or equal while women continue to live in fear, or worse, lose their lives simply because they are women. We reaffirmed the urgent need for prevention, protection, and prosecution anchored in survivor-centered policies and a culture of zero tolerance.
These issues are not isolated as they are interconnected, and they demand a holistic and intersectional approach. The solutions we seek must be inclusive, grounded in evidence, and responsive to the diverse realities of women’s lives.
South Africa (supported by yourselves) aims to use the platform to accelerate G20 progress on gender equality and human’s rights. The EWWG creates an opportunity to review the set goal(s) and to promote women's increased participation at political, governance, and decision-making levels.
Chairperson, as I draw towards conclusion, allow me to also indicate that we appreciate that each of the three priority areas have also started to share the draft knowledge products which will form part of the legacy project from our G20 South Africa Presidency.
The South African G20 Presidency is committed to the principles of G20 based on consensus which is a cornerstone of our collective efforts. Through open dialogue and collaboration, we have reaffirmed our shared vision of a more inclusive and accessible world. In this regard, I look forward to the outcomes of the negotiations of the Ministerial Declaration which will be presented to the Ministers for adoption in October 2025.
With those few words, once again, thank you very much for your attendance and participation. Through collective commitment and action, G20 members can make significant strides in promoting gender equality and achieving sustainable development.
I thank you.
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