CAPE TOWN, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Over 100 global delegates will gather in Cape Town this week for the inaugural Women20 South Africa (W20SA) meeting, which begins on Wednesday morning under the theme: “Women in Solidarity”.
The W20 is the official engagement group of the G20 focused on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, uniting experts from government, business, academia and civil society.
This year’s two-day meeting marks a decade since the establishment of the W20 and offers a strategic moment for the African continent to shape the G20’s gender agenda under South Africa’s presidency.
Delegates from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the European Union, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Russia, Turkey, and the United States will participate in a series of panel discussions and high-level dialogues.
These discussions will cover a range of important topics, including entrepreneurship and financial inclusion; the care economy; gender-based violence and femicide; climate justice and the environment; education; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); the digital divide; health equity for women and girls; and women, land, and agriculture.
The programme will include a gala dinner, cultural showcase, and community outreach sessions spotlighting women-led initiatives for food security, digital transformation, and local development.
The W20SA inception meeting will be led by Professor Narnia Bohler-Muller, Head of Delegation and Divisional Executive at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
“W20SA is an opportunity for African women and allies from the Global South to drive bold, actionable recommendations for the G20 Leaders’ Declaration,” said Bohler-Muller.
“Our call is one of solidarity, justice, and transformation.”
The confirmed speakers include Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga, United Nations (UN) Women Multi-Country Representative for Southern Africa Aleta Miller, and the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN Ambassador Mathu Joyini.
The guests will also hear from the Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Professor Bonang Mohale; Shoprite Group Enterprise and Government Relations Executive, Maude Modise; and Wiphold Group Chief Financial Officer, Nontobeko Ndhlazi. — NNN-SANEWS