New Delhi, July 5 (IANS). India will host the Women’s Working Group (WWG) meeting in Kochi, Kerala on July 6-7 under its ‘BRICS’ chairmanship this year. The meeting of the Women’s Working Group will provide Member States an opportunity to discuss and build consensus on issues that advance women-led development.
According to an official statement issued on Sunday, the Kochi meeting is expected to lay a strong foundation for the ‘BRICS’ women’s ministerial-level meeting to be held on July 8-9. The meeting will reiterate the shared commitment of the BRICS member countries towards practical cooperation and women-led development.
“Senior government officials from ‘BRICS’ member countries will come together to discuss key issues related to women’s empowerment and women-led development in all sectors and advance cooperation on shared priorities,” the statement said.
The ‘BRICS’ organization includes a total of 11 countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Together they contribute about 40 percent of global GDP.
About 49.5 percent of the world’s population lives in ‘BRICS’ countries. The political, social and economic development of women in this huge population affects every sector, making the ‘Women’s Track’ strategically important in ‘BRICS’ 2026.
This Working Group meeting builds on the extensive discussions held during the three virtual preparatory meetings held earlier. These discussions have enabled the member countries to take forward the negotiations ahead of the meetings in Kochi.
India’s ‘BRICS’ Chairmanship in 2026 is based on the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Stability’. The ‘BRICS’ Women’s Track has focused on four priority areas, including women’s participation in governance and leadership, digital and financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and skill development and the role of women in climate change, food security and nutrition.
–IANS
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