Smriti Zubin Irani to Inaugurate G20 EMPOWER Summit

The G20 EMPOWER Summit is set to take place on August 1, 2023, at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The summit, organised around the theme- “Women-Led Development: ensuring a sustainable, inclusive, and equitable global economic growth”, will witness the participation of delegates from across G20 nations, invited guest countries and international organisations in addition to many global experts, policymakers and stakeholders.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal Ministry for EMPOWER which is the G20 Alliance for Empowerment and Progress of Women’s Economic Progression. It is a private sector led initiative under the Sherpa Track that aims to accelerate women’s leadership and empowerment in the private sector across G20 countries.

Under G20 EMPOWER 2023, two international level meetings have been held in the months of February and April 2023 in India with the active support of the Ministry of Women and Child Development for outcomes that will be reflected in the EMPOWER Communique. The Summit meeting is scheduled in Gandhinagar on 1^st-2^nd August, 2023. The thematic discussions and deliberations in these meetings will reflect in the Communique of G20 EMPOWER and will be provided as recommendations to G20 leaders.

To take G20 to the people of India, under Jan Bhagidari (Citizen’s Connect Program) G20 EMPOWER 2023 has also been organizing various engagements at the national level on a wide range of topics related to Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation.

Union Minister for Women & Child Development and Minority Affairs, India, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani will inaugurate the summit. The inaugural session will also see the launch of key outcomes under the G20 EMPOWER agenda this year including the G20 EMPOWER Tech Equity Digital Inclusion Platform, the Best Practices Playbook, the KPI Dashboard, and the adoption of the G20 EMPOWER Communique 2023.

Tech Equity is an aggregator platform is aimed at bridging the gender digital divide by providing women with the digital skills and knowledge they need to thrive in today’s technology-driven world. It has been developed with the support of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. Available in 120 plus languages, this platform is now open for registrations for girls and women from across G20 nations, to undertake digital skilling and upskilling courses to accelerate their career growth.

Besides, a host of esteemed speakers, including Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai, Minister of State for Women & Child Development and AYUSH, India; Shri Indevar Pandey, Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child Development, India; Ms Lakshmi Shyam Sunder, Vice-President, World Bank; Ms Sima Bahous, Executive Director, UN Women, will address the inaugural session.

G-20 EMPOWER Chair, Dr Sangita Reddy, will elaborate on the journey of EMPOWER under India’s Presidency and the tangible outcomes achieved.

The summit will feature a series of sessions, each focusing on different aspects of women's empowerment. The session, "Leading the Change: Women Redefining Leadership", will delve into the transformative role of women in leadership positions and how they redefine the norms and expectations of leadership. "Leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure to Advance Financial Equality for Women" will highlight the country experiences in developing and implementing various constituents of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).The session on "Closing the Gap: Achieving Tech Equity for Women" will discuss ways to bridge the existing gaps and bring more women into the realm of technology and will showcase the Tech Equity platform. The "She-preneurs: Harnessing the Power of Women-Led Enterprises” session will focus on overcoming the barriers faced by women-led enterprises and breaking stereotypes. The session on "Leadership Unplugged: Empowering Stories by Inspirational Leaders" will bring to the table inspiring stories of women leaders from across fields. These leaders will share their experiences, initiatives, and stories of their perseverance.

To recall Union Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani’s address at the EMPOWER Inception Meeting in Agra, the Minister emphasized the importance of placing women at the center of decision-making to ensure a better future for all.

This event will mark culmination of the multitude of international engagements and deliberations held under the EMPOWER agenda during India’s G20 Presidency with announcement of tangible outcomes, Pledge to strengthen the private sector contribution in achieving gender equity and Key recommendations for the private sector leaders and government for consideration of the G20 Leaders.

Special arrangements are also being made for the visiting delegates to experience the vibrant culture, cuisine and touristic attractions in the State of Gujarat.

The summit will conclude on August 2, 2023 just ahead of the G20 Ministerial Conference on Women Empowerment.

The G20 EMPOWER Summit is a landmark event that underscores the critical role of women in driving global economic growth and will help to create a more inclusive and equitable world.