Over the past few years, G20 has been paying close attention to gender equality. Its members have, in fact, time and again committed to undertake measures to bridge the gender divide. However, these commitments have seldom translated into action. Thus, India, during its G20 presidency — from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023 — must leverage its position to lead the way on gender equality and encourage tangible actions to boost women’s strategic position.
According to the Global Governance Project, from 2008 to 2020, G20 put forth 63 core commitments on gender equality. But its members have averaged a mere 59% compliance with 24 gender commitments assessed by the G20 Research Group — which remains well below the overall average of 71%. The highest proportion of compliance was in women’s economic empowerment, reducing the labour force participation gap by 25% and financial inclusion. Commitments with the lowest compliance were on increasing women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and cutting down on unpaid care work, and gender-based violence.
Inferring from these statistics, one can say that G20 members have continued to follow a linear and narrow approach, which recognises women only as key drivers of economic growth instead of facilitating their inclusion across diverse sectors. After all, economic growth alone doesn’t translate into improved standards of life. So, G20’s gender commitments have remained more on the surface, calling out on gender criticalities without engaging with the root causes — poverty, discrimination or inequality — that give rise to disparities.
Another problem area is the Euro-centric nature of these commitments. This fails to address the Global South priority in G20. Feminists from the Global South point out that issues such as subsistence forms of livelihood, which provide food security to communities in the South, are not considered in G20 settings. In addition, there is an underrepresentation of women in leadership in all facets of G20.
Given this, it is clear that for any substantial advancement in gender equality, the premier forum needs some reform. And India — which stands committed to addressing gender issues — is well positioned to do this when it takes on the G20 presidency in 2023.
What needs to change is G20’s ad-hoc approach to gender, which often results in vague and scarcely action-oriented declarations. India should persuade G20 countries to pay close attention to structuring commitments. Then together, they should set a target and timeline to achieve greater compliance across declarations that aim to address diverse aspects of women’s lives.
This already bodes well for G20’s historic commitment to reduce the labour force participation gap by 25% by 2025, set in Brisbane in 2014. Owing to this, today, around half of the G20 members are on track to meet the 2025 goal. Adopting such an approach will, thus, ensure progress across all intersectional gender issues. In addition, India should lead the way in developing a structured monitoring and evaluation tool.
Last, to rectify the problem of representation, India should encourage consultations with feminist groups on a domestic and international scale. Ensure that countries go beyond token representation and make G20 more inclusive by opening it to women with varied backgrounds. Listening to diverse voices is important to report the complexity of gender issues.
In light of the stark disconnect between G20’s goals and the lived reality of women, India — one of the largest emerging economies in the group — can use its position to promote gender parity. Coupled with India’s domestic efforts to promote gender equity, these proposals will strengthen women’s position both at home and abroad.
Akanksha Khullar is an independent scholar working on gender issues, particularly on understanding the Women, Peace and Security agenda
The views expressed are personal
