New Delhi: Acknowledging the disproportionate impact of climate change on all women and girls, the G20 grouping has decided to accelerate climate action with gender equality at its core by increasing women's participation and leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
In the G20 Declaration, the countries underscored the fundamental importance of gender equality and acknowledged its multiplier effect in realizing the 2030 Agenda. "We commit to close gender gaps, promote full, equal, effective women's participation in the economy as decision-makers," according to the G20 Declaration.
Furthermore, they acknowledged that commitment extends to empowering women and girls economically and socially, fostering their full, equal, and meaningful participation in decision-making processes to address global challenges inclusively. "We encourage women-led development and remain committed to enhancing women's full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation as decision makers for addressing global challenges inclusively and in contributing as active participants in all spheres of society, across all sectors and at all levels of the economy, which is not only crucial for achieving gender equality, but also for contributing to global GDP growth," they said.
Acknowledging the disproportionate impact of climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification and pollution on all women and girls, the grouping acknowledged that accelerating climate action must have gender equality at its core. "To this end, we will support and increase women's participation, partnership, decision-making and leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction strategies and policy frameworks on environmental issues, support gender-responsive and environment-resilient solutions, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions, to build resilience to the impact of climate change and environmental degradation," it said.
In a significant move to further empower women and promote gender equality, the G20 leaders have agreed to establish a new Working Group on Empowerment of Women. This working group will play a crucial role in supporting the G20 Women's Ministerial and will hold its inaugural meeting during the Brazilian G20 Presidency.
"We agree to create a new Working Group on Empowerment of Women to support the G20 Women's Ministerial and look forward to the convening of its first meeting during the Brazilian G20 Presidency," it said. The G20 declaration has outlined a comprehensive plan to translate these commitments into tangible actions.
This agenda includes bridging the labour force gap, promoting STEM education for women and girls, advancing women in the workforce, strengthening social protection, eliminating gender-based violence, promoting financial inclusion, challenging gender stereotypes, and bridging the digital gender divide.
Additionally, G20 leaders have set the ambitious goal of halving the digital gender gap by 2030, emphasizing the importance of gender-responsive policies in the digital economy. "We commit to halve the digital gender gap by 2030. To this end, we will - address gender norms and barriers to accessibility, affordability, adoption, and usage of digital technologies, promote regulatory policy frameworks that enable all women and girls to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of national digital strategies, including enhancing digital literacy and skills," the declaration said.
The declaration said the nations will also identify and eliminate all potential risks that women and girls encounter from increased digitization, including all forms of online and offline abuse, by encouraging the adoption of safety-by-design approaches in digital tools and technologies. "Promote and implement gender-responsive policies to create an enabling, inclusive, and non-discriminatory digital economy for women-led and -owned businesses, including MSMEs. Encourage and support initiatives by identifying, funding, and accelerating proven solutions, thereby improving women's livelihoods and income security," it said.
Addressing the critical issue of women's food security and nutrition, the G20 has pledged to encourage investments in inclusive, sustainable, and resilient agriculture and food systems. They aim to ensure accessible, affordable, safe, and nutritious food and healthy diets while promoting innovation in agri-value chains led by and for women farmers.
"Women's food security and nutrition is the cornerstone of individual and community development as it lays the foundation for women's health, as well as that of her children, family and general well-being of the community. "To this end, we will - encourage investments in inclusive, sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems. Support accessible, affordable, safe and nutritious food and healthy diets in school meal programmes. Promote innovation for inclusive agri-value chains and systems by and for women farmers," the grouping said.
They also extended support to gender-responsive and age-sensitive nutrition and food system interventions by leveraging innovative financing instruments and social protection systems in ending hunger and malnutrition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the Declaration at the meeting of G20 leaders here on Saturday. (PTI)
