The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa hosted the agenda-setting 2025 P20 Women’s Parliament on 13 and 14 August 2025. This significant event took place under the theme “Accelerating Equality, Sustainability and Shared Growth.” It provided a critical platform to transform gender equality, inclusive development, and women’s empowerment.
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What is the P20?
The P20 Women’s Parliament is a sectoral parliamentary forum that convenes women parliamentarians from G20 member countries. It serves as a high-level platform to focus on gender-responsive and developmental priorities. These efforts aim at accelerating gender equality, inclusive growth, and women’s empowerment. The 2025 P20 Women’s Parliament was held in South Africa as part of the country’s G20 presidency activities. It aligned closely with national and global gender equality frameworks. These include South Africa’s Women’s Charter for Accelerated Development, the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the G20 Women’s Empowerment Agenda.
Its purpose is to strategically build and institutionalise cooperation and oversight mechanisms within government. This ensures that gender transformation priorities are effectively implemented across all sectors. The P20 Women’s Parliament provides a meaningful platform for legislators, government officials, development partners, and civil society. They share innovative solutions, review progress, identify gaps, and forge alliances toward a more just, sustainable, and equitable future for women.
Aligning with Global Milestones
The year 2025 marks major milestones for global gender and development goals. These include the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and a decade of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The P20 Women’s Parliament used this moment to reinforce commitments toward accelerated progress in gender equality.
Connecting National and Global Agendas
The forum emphasised aligning South Africa’s Women’s Charter for Accelerated Development and the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) with broader strategies. These include the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the G20 Women’s Empowerment Agenda. This strategic coherence aims to galvanise legislative, oversight, and representative functions across sectors to drive gender transformation.
Inclusive Participation
Attendees included Parliament’s Presiding Officers and women leaders from regional and international development partners. These partners include the African Union, UN Women, and G20, as well as provincial legislatures, NGOs, and Chapter 9 institutions. Members of Parliament’s Multiparty Women’s Caucus and Portfolio Committees focused on Women, Children, and Persons with Disabilities contributed to the discussions. Experts from the Parliamentary Budget Office also participated.
Key Focus Areas
The P20 Women’s Parliament highlighted critical topics:
- Advancing women’s economic empowerment, especially in rural areas and agriculture
- Expanding women’s access to quality healthcare, education, and social protection
- Strengthening legislation to combat gender-based violence (GBV)
- Enhancing women’s participation in political and development processes
- Promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth that benefits all genders
Government Leadership and Commitments
Deputy President Paul Mashatile delivered a keynote address highlighting women’s historic and ongoing contributions to South Africa’s transformation. He stressed the importance of “correcting the gender redistributional bias of growth and development.” This emphasized partnership among government branches to drive gender mainstreaming and implement women-focused development charters and policies.
Deputy President Mashatile reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment as host of the 2025 G20 Summit. He noted efforts to prioritise women empowerment through mechanisms such as the Women20 (W20) Engagement Group. The government aims to harness these platforms to address key issues. These include the care economy, financial inclusion, rural women’s empowerment, agricultural support, and combating GBV.
The Path Forward
The Women’s Parliament set a clear agenda for actionable steps. This included reviewing and amending legislation to accelerate gender equity and stop gender-based violence. This event laid foundational work for the upcoming 11th P20 Speakers’ Summit scheduled for October 2025 in Cape Town. It consolidated South Africa’s leadership role on the global stage.
Public Access and Transparency
The P20 Women’s Parliament was hosted as a hybrid event. Sessions were available to the public via live stream on Parliament TV and social media platforms. This transparency aimed to foster widespread engagement and raise awareness about gender equality and inclusive growth.
