The Women20 (W20) South Africa Summit concluded on Thursday, 14 October 2025, with an emphatic call for G20 leaders to accelerate progress on gender equality and address the systemic challenges faced by women and girls across the world. Held in Johannesburg from 12–14 October under the theme “Women in Solidarity Towards a Just Future,” the three-day gathering united delegates from more than 20 nations to push for transformative global policy reforms.
Convened as part of South Africa’s presidency of the G20 this year, the summit ended with the presentation of a detailed communiqué urging member states to prioritise entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, care economy investment, education, STEM, climate justice, health equity, and the eradication of violence against women and girls.
South Africa, currently the only African nation with permanent G20 membership, used the platform to amplify the Global South’s priorities. Minister of Human Settlements Thembisile Simelane formally received the communiqué, which will now be presented to G20 leaders for consideration.
The event highlighted South Africa’s unique position in international governance, combining African values such as Ubuntu with shared global challenges, and setting a tone of accountability and measurable progress.
Hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre, the summit attracted policymakers, researchers, and civil society representatives from across the globe, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UK, the US, and Zimbabwe. It also marked a significant moment in the ongoing series of Global South-led presidencies—following Indonesia, India, and Brazil—creating momentum for inclusion and representation within the G20 framework.
Key figures such as UN Women Representative Aleta Miller, Crtve Development’s Dr Okito Wedi, and South African musician and humanitarian Yvonne Chaka Chaka joined Minister Simelane for the closing session. W20 South Africa Head of Delegation Professor Narnia Bohler-Muller urged leaders to prioritise entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, healthcare access, and education for women, reflecting the communiqué’s central focus on practical implementation.
Established in 2015, W20 serves as a formal G20 engagement group aimed at advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. This year’s theme placed emphasis on collective action and solidarity, with delegates drafting recommendations to tackle poverty, inequality, and barriers to women’s participation in global economies.
