India Hosts First BRICS Women’s Working Group Preparatory Meet Under Its Presidency

New Delhi: The Ministry of Women and Child Development on April 30 convened the first preparatory meeting of the BRICS Women’s Working Group in virtual mode, marking an important step under India’s BRICS Presidency.

The meeting saw participation from representatives of BRICS member countries, along with officials from various ministries and departments of the Government of India. Knowledge partners, including UN Women and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, also took part in the discussions.

Opening the session, Caralyn Khongwar Deshmukh, Additional Secretary in the Ministry, welcomed delegates and outlined the agenda, setting the tone for deliberations focused on advancing women-centric development priorities.

Guided by India’s BRICS chairship theme—“Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability”—the meeting identified four key priority areas reflecting shared global concerns. These include women’s participation in governance and leadership, financial and digital inclusion, entrepreneurship and skill development, and women’s role in climate action, food security and nutrition.

Participants emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration among BRICS nations to promote inclusive growth and address challenges faced by women across sectors. Member countries welcomed India’s leadership and expressed support for the identified priority areas, highlighting the spirit of cooperation and knowledge sharing.

The discussions reaffirmed India’s commitment to women-led development, recognising women as central to economic progress, governance and social transformation.

Key outcomes from the meeting will feed into the upcoming BRICS Women’s Working Group Meeting and the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting, scheduled to be held in Kochi in July 2026.