South Africa’s minister for women, youth and persons with disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, urged faster global action on gender equality at the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group ministerial meeting in Kempton Park on Oct. 30 and 31, 2025. Speaking as South Africa leads the G20 under the theme of solidarity, equality, and sustainability, she pressed governments and partners to prioritize care work, women’s financial access, and the fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
Chikunga framed 2025 as a year of gains and tests, noting the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and South Africa’s constitutional commitment to equality. She said the G20 focus areas were shaped by three technical meetings from February to July with input from global bodies, civil society, and business. She welcomed participation by the African Union and other African states, and credited past G20 chairs India and Brazil for the groundwork that treats women as full partners in development. The event at the Radisson Hotel and Convention Centre aimed to drive policy steps that lift women out of poverty and protect rights across public life.
Chikunga framed 2025 as a year of gains and tests, noting the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and South Africa’s constitutional commitment to equality. She said the G20 focus areas were shaped by three technical meetings from February to July with input from global bodies, civil society, and business. She welcomed participation by the African Union and other African states, and credited past G20 chairs India and Brazil for the groundwork that treats women as full partners in development. The event at the Radisson Hotel and Convention Centre aimed to drive policy steps that lift women out of poverty and protect rights across public life.
