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WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT WG
Women's Empowerment WG focuses on promoting equal rights and negotiating the ministerial declaration
Opening session of the in-person meeting in Brasilia counted on the presence of Ministers Cida Gonçalves (Women) and Anielle Franco (Racial Equality).The agenda included discussions on care work, equal rights for girls and women, and combating political violence.
Since its inception in 2023, the G20 Women's Empowerment Working Group has advocated for gender equality and the autonomy and empowerment of girls and women. The WG's third face-to-face meeting, which runs until Tuesday, July 9, in Brasilia, brings together member and guest countries as well as international organizations.
Maria Helena Guarezi, WG coordinator and executive secretary at the Brazilian Ministry of Women, mediated the opening session, which included Brasil’s Ministers of Women, Cida Gonçalves, and Racial Equality, Anielle Franco; the president of the National Women's Institute of Mexico, Nadine Gasman; and national secretaries Denise Motta Dau (Confronting Violence against Women) and Rosane Silva (Economic Autonomy and Care Policy), both from the Brazilian Ministry of Women.
The following steps include virtual and in-person meetings to formulate the final version of the document, which will list the countries' actions and commitments to promote the empowerment of all women and girls, gender equality, and the elimination of all forms of violence.
In her speech, Cida Gonçalves provided an overview of the first two meetings and the progress made thus far. The new phase of the Women's Empowerment Working Group meetings "marks the beginning of the process of negotiating the Ministerial Declaration, which should be signed by me and my fellow ministers in October," she stated.
The Minister of Women also mentioned the three axes proposed by the Ministry for the WG discussions during Brasil's presidency: equality, including economic autonomy and care policy; combating violence and misogyny; and climate justice. Click here to access the full speech.
Minister Anielle Franco recalled, "the government has been thinking across the board about how to ensure a dignified life and a better world for every individual, especially for the women of Brasil". She also highlighted the fact that "the joint work between the ministries has led to important advancements, such as the fight against political violence against women", and added, "unity among women results in a stronger democracy".
Ministerial Declaration draft
The 3rd Technical Meeting of the Women's Empowerment WG gave the kick-start for negotiations for the Ministerial Declaration, to be presented during the Ministerial Meeting on October 11, marking the end of Brasil's presidency of the WG. The following steps include virtual and in-person meetings to formulate the final version of the document, which will list the countries' actions and commitments to promote the empowerment of all women and girls, gender equality, and the elimination of all forms of violence.
"This work that we, as G20 member countries, invited nations, and international organizations, are engaged in today has been made possible by the prior efforts of other groups like Empower and W20. Additionally, the crucial role played by India's presidency has been instrumental in achieving this realization as a Working Group (WG) under the Sherpa Track," highlighted Maria Helena Guarezi, the coordinator of the WG, as she reflected on the historical process of building the WG.
The Women's Empowerment Working Group was established during India's presidency in 2023 and convened for the first time during Brasil's Presidency in 2024. The establishment of a working group on this issue is a significant accomplishment for women and a step forward in the commitment of member countries to ensuring the rights of women and girls.