New Delhi, 01 May (H.S.):

In preparation for India’s upcoming BRICS presidency in July, the Ministry of Women and Child Development held its first meeting on Friday for the Women’s Working Group. The meeting placed strong emphasis on women-led development.

The first preparatory meeting of the BRICS Women’s Working Group was conducted virtually. It was attended by representatives from BRICS countries, senior officials from various ministries and departments of the Government of India, and partners such as UN Women and FICCI. The meeting was chaired by the Ministry’s Additional Secretary Caralyn Khongwar Deshmukh, who welcomed all representatives and outlined the discussion framework.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry stated that the meeting aligned with India’s BRICS presidency theme of Building Resilience, Innovation, Collaboration, and Sustainability.

In-depth discussions focused on global issues concerning women, with special attention to four key areas: women’s participation in governance and leadership, financial and digital inclusion, women’s entrepreneurship and skill development, and women’s roles in climate action, food security, and nutrition.

India reaffirmed its commitment to women-led development, viewing women as the cornerstone of economic growth, good governance, and social transformation. BRICS member countries welcomed India’s presidency and supported the proposed priorities while emphasizing enhanced cooperation.

Notably, the discussions will serve as guidance for the upcoming BRICS Women’s Working Group meeting (July 6–7, 2026) and the BRICS Women Ministers’ Meeting (July 8–9, 2026), both to be held in Kochi, Kerala.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar