What Is The UN Women's Role In G20?

As India takes the Presidency baton from Indonesia for G20, it has put forward 'Nari Shakti' as the core theme of its Presidency leadership. The UN Women's Role in G20 becomes significant in this aspect. 

The objective of UN Women is to bring about gender parity among its member nations. UN Women works with governments and ministries of all of its member nations to ensure that policies, development programs, and laws are being formulated to positively impact the growth of women and children.

The UN Women working with the Ministry of Women and Child Development plans to fully support G20 Empower, W20, and the Ministerial Conference on Women's Empowerment. UN Women is the knowledge partner for FCCI under G20 Empower and W20.

Additionally, the UN Women is offering its technical backing to the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the UN Capital Development Fund. This is to ensure that the finance track of G20 focuses on women’s financial inclusion.

UN Women Role In G20

G20 Empower was launched for the first time in 2019 during the Osaka Summit. G20 Empower seeks to drive women's empowerment and leadership in the private sector industry of businesses in the G20 nations. 

Under the G20 Empower India is expected to provide leadership roles and holistic support systems to companies led by women including those at the grassroots level. India's Presidency is expected to produce a digital literacy curriculum that can be used by other G20 nations for building digital resilience among their women. The inception meeting of G20 Empower took place on the 11th of February in Agra.

W20 which stands for Women20 was established during the Turkish Presidency in 2015 under the G20. Its primary objective is to ensure that gender discussions find their way into the G20 Summit and thereafter the Leader's declaration.

W20 this year under India's leadership has five primary goals working closely with G20 Empower. The five goals are Women Leadership at Grassroots, Education and Skill Development, Women in Entrepreneurship, Bridging the Gender Digital Divide, and Women and Girls as change makers Climate Resilience Action.

To move towards these goals, the first W20 meet was held in Aurangabad on the 27th and 28th of February. This will be followed by two more W20 international meets at Jaipur and Mahabalipuram on the 13-14th of April and 15-16th of June respectively.

As affirmed by United Nations official Anita Bhatia, India’s G20 Presidency of Women Empowerment might prove inspiring for other G20 nations.

Suggested reading: Women's Empowerment Draws Attention Of Leaders At The G20 Summit