Over 100 global delegates converged in Cape Town this week for the Women20 South Africa (W20SA) Inception Meeting, that took place from 21 to 22 May 2025 at Lagoon Beach Hotel & Spa under the theme “Women in Solidarity”.
The W20 is the official G20 engagement group dedicated to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, bringing together experts from government, business, academia, and civil society. This year’s Inception 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 participated in a range of panel discussions and high-level dialogues aligned to the following thematic areas:
- Entrepreneurship and financial inclusion
- The care economy
- Gender-based violence and femicide
- Climate justice and the environment
- Education, STEM and the digital divide
- Health equity for women and girls
- Women, land and agriculture
The programme included a gala dinner and cultural showcase, along with community outreach sessions spotlighting women-led initiatives for food security, digital transformation, and local development.
The W20SA Inception Meeting was convened under the leadership of Prof Narnia Bohler-Muller, Head of Delegation and Divisional Executive, DCES.
“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.”
Watch the Inception Meeting proceedings below.
DAY 1
DAY 2
The HSRC’s Prof Narnia Bohler-Muller, W20SA Head of Delegation, speaks to eNCA:
