Chikunga Calls for Women's Inclusion at Core of Economic Value Chains at G20

Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has issued a rallying cry for inclusive economic transformation that places women at the centre of South Africa’s and the continent’s value chains. Speaking at the Third Technical Meeting of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG), currently underway at the Skukuza Conference Centre in Kruger National Park, Chikunga highlighted the urgent need for structural reforms that translate policy ambitions into lived realities for women across sectors.

Against the picturesque backdrop of Mpumalanga—a province she described as “powering, feeding, and connecting South Africa”—the Minister delivered a powerful and unapologetic appeal for a women-centred economy driven by grassroots voices and global solidarity.

From Mines to Markets: Centering Women in Key Sectors

Drawing vivid imagery from the province’s industrial and ecological assets—from the coal turbines of Kusile and Kendal, to the citrus farms of Nkomazi and the bustling tourism economy of Kruger—Chikunga stressed that these engines of economic growth must no longer exclude the women whose unpaid and subsistence labour has historically supported them.

“Our task is to ensure that the energy transition, the tourism boom, and the manufacturing spine you see here translate into real ownership, decent jobs and fair returns for the women who already carry this province’s invisible labour on their shoulders,” Chikunga said.

G20: A Platform for Africa and Its People

As chair of the G20 Women’s Empowerment agenda, South Africa is embracing its role as a bridge between global frameworks and African realities. While officially representing South Africa, Chikunga asserted that this is “Africa’s G20”—a moment to embed the continent’s challenges and opportunities into global policy.

She noted that Mpumalanga’s strategic location—along the Maputo-Gauteng corridor—makes it a vital region for logistics, agriculture, energy, and eco-tourism. These are precisely the areas, she said, in which women must claim a full and equitable stake.

A G20 Agenda Rooted in Local Engagement

Under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” the G20 Working Group has identified three core priorities for 2025:

1. Valuing the Care Economy, both paid and unpaid

2. Unlocking Financial Inclusion for women

3. Eradicating Gender-Based Violence and Femicide

The Minister highlighted a recent community engagement session held in Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, which allowed ordinary South African women to share their stories and influence the G20’s agenda. Chikunga insisted that these voices must echo through every session of the Skukuza proceedings.

“Our conversations here mean little if they do not reflect the voices we heard in Mkhondo and those of citizens across all G20 nations,” she said.

Milestones of Progress: From Policy to Action

Chikunga outlined significant strides made since South Africa assumed leadership of the G20 Empowerment Working Group:

• A Global Financial Inclusion Conference, calling for gender-responsive land and credit reform

• A C-suite Roundtable with African Banks, linking executive bonuses to gender targets

• Provincial Dialogues that birthed legacy projects such as solar-powered childcare centres and women-led agro-processing hubs

“These milestones confirm that our agenda is no longer a set of good ideas; it is a living programme of action poised for global scale,” the Minister declared.

Reimagining the Care Economy: The Invisible Engine of Growth

Calling the care economy the “hidden engine” behind visible economic activity, Chikunga presented a compelling economic case for its recognition.

“If we costed all paid and unpaid care work, it would equal about 40% of global GDP and 380 million jobs. Remove care and almost half the world’s economic value would evaporate overnight,” she said.

The Minister proposed a three-point call to action for G20 member states:

1. Invest in care infrastructure as a public good

2. Regularly measure unpaid care work using time-use surveys

3. Enact legal reforms on parental leave, carers’ wages, and workplace equity

“Treating care as peripheral is not a statistical error; it is an act of economic self-harm rooted in patriarchal thinking,” she warned.

Turning Consensus into Commitments

As the Working Group inches closer to its Ministerial Declaration, Chikunga emphasized the need for timed, costed, and measurable policy commitments that directly impact women's lives.

“Our work will be measured by practical outcomes: a woman whose unpaid care burden is lighter; a girl who stays in school because a community crèche opened; a survivor who receives timely support and justice,” she said.

Her vision is to leave Skukuza not just with diplomatic consensus, but with a blueprint for transformation that extends from global boardrooms to rural villages.

From Skukuza to the World—A Model for Inclusive Growth

South Africa’s presidency of the G20 Women’s Empowerment Working Group is proving to be not just ceremonial but strategically transformative. With a sharp focus on local relevance, continental solidarity, and global ambition, Chikunga’s leadership is positioning South Africa—and Africa at large—as a trailblazer for economic justice.

In provinces like Mpumalanga, where economic potential abounds, the real test lies in how women are included, supported, and empowered in the value chains that will shape the continent’s future.