JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) hosted a stakeholder engagement in Johannesburg on Monday to promote inclusive growth under the country's Group of 20 (G20) presidency.
As part of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group sessions, the G20 Stakeholder Engagement meeting was themed "Advancing Inclusive Growth for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities through South Africa's 2025 G20 Presidency."
"Our G20 platform must center the lived realities of women, youth, and persons with disabilities, not as a footnote, but as a foundation for recovery and growth," said Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga.
According to her, with South Africa's economy growing at just 0.7 percent annually, well below global averages, economic opportunities also remained deeply unequal, with two-thirds of South Africans living in poverty and 40 percent of adults, primarily young people and women, either unemployed or discouraged from looking for a job.
Chikunga said South Africa's G20 leadership should go beyond ceremonial participation. "This is not only South Africa's G20. It is Africa's G20, and it must be the People's G20, shaped by those most affected by policy decisions, yet least represented in decision-making spaces. In short, this is a call to elevate our presidency from event-based diplomacy to outcome-driven action -- and to shape a legacy that lives far beyond our leaders' forum that will be seated later this year."
Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike said the country's G20 leadership role also aims to drive systemic transformation in favor of women, youth, and persons with disabilities worldwide.
"Our presidency is an opportunity not only to influence international dialogue but to lead by example in implementing real, impactful, and measurable change for those who have historically been excluded," Letsike added. ■
