Savitri Thakur Highlights Women-Led Development at UN CSW-70 Meet

In her address, Smt. Savitri Thakur highlighted the impact of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation, established in 2004 as a joint initiative of the three countries.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur addressed a high-level event titled “Women-Led Development and South-South Cooperation – Success Stories from the IBSA Fund” during the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-70) at the United Nations Headquarters on 12 March 2026.

The event brought together senior ministers, diplomats and representatives from international organizations to discuss how South-South cooperation is strengthening women’s empowerment and sustainable development across the Global South.

Global Leaders Discuss Women-Led Development

The dialogue featured participation from several international leaders, including:

• H.E. Eutália Barbosa Rodrigues Naves, Vice-Minister for Women, Brazil

• H.E. Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa

• Mr. Alexander De Croo, Administrator, UNDP

• H.E. Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Gambia

• H.E. Selina Kuruleca, Acting Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Social Protection, Fiji

• Ambassador Lewis G. Brown II, Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations

• Ambassador P. Harish, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

The discussions focused on strengthening multilateral cooperation among developing countries to accelerate gender equality and inclusive development.

IBSA Fund: A Model of South-South Cooperation

In her address, Smt. Savitri Thakur highlighted the impact of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation, established in 2004 as a joint initiative of the three countries.

She noted that the IBSA Fund has supported more than 50 development projects across nearly 40 countries, demonstrating the effectiveness of Global South-led development partnerships.

According to the Minister, many of these projects prioritise women’s leadership, economic empowerment and participation in governance, reflecting India’s vision of women-led development.

Strengthening Women’s Leadership in Governance

Highlighting one of the key initiatives under the IBSA framework, the Minister referred to the project “Women Legislators Promoting Voice, Leadership and Gender Responsive Governance for Sustainable Development” currently being implemented in Liberia.

The project aims to strengthen the Women Legislative Caucus in Liberia by enhancing its role in promoting gender equality through legislative and oversight processes.

Key components of the initiative include:

• Capacity-building programmes for women legislators

• Knowledge exchange with women’s caucuses from other countries

• Efforts to eliminate gender-discriminatory laws

• Public awareness campaigns on gender-responsive legislation

• Building coalitions to support inclusive policymaking

The initiative seeks to strengthen democratic institutions and gender-responsive governance.

Economic Empowerment Projects for Women

The Minister also highlighted initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s economic participation, which contribute directly to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality.

She cited a proposed floriculture project in Jordan designed to promote women’s entrepreneurship and climate-smart agriculture.

The project includes:

• Establishment of a reverse osmosis unit to reuse treated wastewater from the Tafileh plant

• Development of 60 greenhouses and a five-hectare nursery

• Creation of 50 women-led micro-enterprises

• Training for 150 women in floriculture and business management

The initiative aims to combine environmentally sustainable practices with economic empowerment opportunities for women.

India’s Domestic Focus on Women-Led Development

Highlighting India’s domestic policies, the Minister emphasised the government’s commitment to strengthening women’s participation in education, digital empowerment, entrepreneurship and skill development.

She also underscored the role of gender budgeting as a key policy instrument for promoting inclusive growth.

According to the Minister, the Union Budget 2025-26 allocated approximately ₹5.01 lakh crore (around USD 60 billion) toward gender budgeting, marking an increase of more than 8 percent compared to the previous year.

Bilateral Talks with South Africa

On the sidelines of CSW-70, Smt. Savitri Thakur also held a bilateral meeting with South Africa’s Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.

The two leaders discussed strengthening cooperation under the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum, including initiatives supported by the IBSA Fund for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation.

They also exchanged views on collaboration within multilateral platforms such as the G20 and BRICS, particularly on digital public infrastructure and the role of women-focused working groups in upcoming international engagements.

The discussions included sharing best practices and policy initiatives undertaken by India in women and child development.

India Reaffirms Commitment to Global Partnerships

Concluding her remarks, the Minister said the IBSA Fund represents a powerful example of Global South cooperation addressing development challenges collectively.

She reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening such partnerships and expressed confidence that more impactful initiatives will emerge to advance women’s empowerment and sustainable development worldwide.