Chikunga Calls for Stronger BRICS Action on Women's Empowerment

The Minister said stronger cooperation among BRICS nations can help remove these barriers by expanding access to finance, education, digital technologies, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities.

Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on BRICS member countries to strengthen their partnership on women's economic empowerment, saying the grouping has the capacity to become a powerful global platform for women-led development.

Speaking virtually at the BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Women's Affairs, Chikunga said women's empowerment should be recognised as a key driver of economic growth, innovation and sustainable development instead of being viewed only as a social policy issue. She said countries within the BRICS bloc share a responsibility to create conditions that allow women to participate fully in economic life while contributing to long-term national development.

The BRICS grouping, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, represents some of the world's largest emerging economies. Chikunga noted that women across these countries are making important contributions to entrepreneurship, agriculture, technology, digital services and community development despite continuing to face obstacles in accessing finance, leadership positions and business opportunities.

South Africa highlights programmes supporting women

The Minister said stronger cooperation among BRICS nations can help remove these barriers by expanding access to finance, education, digital technologies, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities. She welcomed India's leadership as BRICS Chair for 2026, saying the platform offers an opportunity to strengthen collaboration that recognises women as entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders driving sustainable economic growth.

Chikunga also outlined South Africa's own initiatives to improve women's participation in the economy. She said the government is finalising a Women's Economic Assembly framework designed to increase women's representation in procurement structures, state-owned enterprise boards and decision-making bodies across both the public and private sectors. The framework is intended to move women beyond consultation towards meaningful participation in leadership.

She also highlighted the Cooperative Banking Institution Initiative, which seeks to improve financial access for women entrepreneurs by creating a banking system owned and managed by women. The initiative is expected to address challenges such as limited collateral, gender bias in lending practices and financial products that often fail to meet the needs of women-owned businesses.

Climate action and procurement reforms remain priorities

Chikunga said South Africa continues to support millions of women through social protection programmes, including the Child Support Grant, Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant and Social Relief of Distress Grant, which provide vital assistance to households where women are often the primary caregivers.

She also pointed to the implementation of the Public Procurement Act, which reserves seven per cent of public procurement opportunities for businesses owned by women, young people and persons with disabilities. According to the Minister, the measure represents one of the continent's most significant efforts to expand economic participation among historically underrepresented groups.

Turning to climate change and food security, Chikunga said South Africa has adopted the Climate Change and Disability Impact Report and is integrating gender-responsive measures into climate adaptation and disaster response programmes. She added that women farmers, small-scale food producers and those working in the informal food economy are being placed at the centre of the country's response to climate-related challenges, expressing confidence that closer cooperation among BRICS nations can translate shared commitments into measurable improvements in the lives of women across member countries.