Power moves: Women leaders shaping the G20 agenda at Johannesburg summit

At the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, prominent women leaders including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and South Africa’s Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka are shaping the global agenda on economic justice, gender equality, and inclusive growth. As co-convenors of the G20 Social Summit, they aim to amplify voices from civil society, grassroots organizations, and marginalized groups, while advancing W20 demands for women’s entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, care economy investments, STEM access, and action against gender-based violence, alongside progress on debt reform, just energy transitions, and addressing inequality as highlighted in a Joseph Stiglitz-led report. Their pivotal roles signal a shift toward a people-centered G20, potentially embedding gender equity as a core pillar of global governance and influencing future summits.