Braslia: Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, is leading South Africa’s delegation to the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting at the Itamaraty Palace in Braslia, Brazil. The Ministerial meeting, taking place on Thursday, is one of several high-level engagements under the 2025 BRICS Presidency, led by Brazil, and is themed: ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance’.
According to South African Government News Agency, the meeting will bring together Ministers responsible for gender and women’s affairs across BRICS member states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) to advance multilateral cooperation on women’s empowerment and gender-responsive governance. The BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting was first conceptualized during South Africa’s BRICS Presidency in 2023, when South Africa proposed the institutionalization of a platform for Ministers responsible for women’s affairs. This initiative aimed to integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment more centrally into BRICS multilateralism. Since then, both Russia in 2024, and Brazil in 2025, have continued the momentum, hosting sessions that advance this collaborative agenda.
The 2025 Ministerial will focus on three priority areas: Women, Development and Entrepreneurship; Digital Governance, Misogyny and Disinformation; and Women’s Empowerment, Climate Action and Sustainable Development. The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities said Chikunga will participate in all three thematic debates scheduled for the Ministerial Meeting, where she will contribute to discussions on women’s economic empowerment, digital governance, and climate resilience.
‘Her participation underscores South Africa’s commitment to ensuring that gender equality is mainstreamed across all areas of governance, policy, and development within the BRICS framework. These themes reflect shared challenges and ambitions across the BRICS countries, particularly in the context of inclusive economic development, digital rights, and sustainability. The meeting offers a strategic space for exchanging policy approaches, aligning efforts, and strengthening collective commitments to gender justice. South Africa’s participation is consistent with its broader commitment to women development, social inclusion, and multilateral solidarity,’ the department said in a statement on Thursday.