The G20 Summit in Delhi adopted a Declaration which resolved to set up a “working group on the empowerment of women.” Given the continuing discrimination against women and girls, this is welcome. But by and large, “working groups” formed in the past have not been implemented. For example, the Sustainable Development Goals have specific targets to address gender gaps. However, as the Declaration itself admits, “At the midway point to 2030, the global progress on SDGs is off-track with only 12% of the targets on track.”
A vague phrase
The Gender Equality section says, “We encourage women-led development and remain committed to enhancing women’s full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation as decision makers for addressing global challenges inclusively and in contributing as active participants in all spheres of society, across all sectors and at all levels of the economy...” The phrase ‘women-led development’ is striking and is the contribution of the Government of India. But there is no explanation of what this actually means.
