The G20 Second Employment Working Group (EWG) meeting has agreed to consider the proposal of a Roadmap Beyond the Brisbane Target to reducing gender gaps in job quality by extending the target date to 2035.

The four-day meeting concluded with a proposal towards what is now known as the “Brisbane-eThekwini Target" on Reducing the Labour Force Participation Gap Between Men and Women 25 percent by 2035.

Siyabonga Hadebe, the Geneva-based Labour Attaché from Department of Employment and Labour said women empowerment must stay afloat during South Africa's G20 Presidency. Hadebe said South Africa was presenting the new proposal as its commitment to G20 for the continued advancement of gender equality in the labour market.

Gender equality has for years been on the radar of international discourse and policy-making for years. This led to the G20 to adopt gender equality roadmap to women economic empowerment. 

As an outcome during the Australian Presidency in 2014, G20 Leaders pledged in Brisbane to reduce the gap in labour force participation rates between men and women by 25 percent by 2025. The aim was to bring 100 million more women into the labour market, increasing global and inclusive growth, and reducing poverty and inequality.

The G20 Forum has reiterated that while a substantial number of G20 countries have made progress in terms of equal opportunities, participation of women in the labour market and reduction of the gender pay gap – reducing gender inequalities has slowed down due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy. 

The G20 Roadmap Towards and Beyond the Brisbane Target sought to:

• Increase the quantity and quality of women's employment
• Tackling the gender pay gap
• Promoting a more even distribution of women and men across sectors and occupations
• Promoting a more balanced distribution of paid and unpaid work between women and men
• Addressing discrimination and gender stereotypes in the labour market

Presenting the Brisbane-eThekwini Target on Reducing the Labour Force Participation Gap Between Men and Women, Hadebe said everyone was aware that the Brisbane target of 25 percent in 2025 was always an ambitious goal. He said while this has yielded some substantial results, its progress was not complete.

“Significant strides have been made to bring at least 100 million women into the workforce to foster an inclusive economic growth. More than half of G20 countries have either achieved their targets or near it. Progress has not been without challenges. We feel that events such as Covid-19 pandemic impacted our journey and eroded our hard earned gains.

“For some of the nations this target remains a formidable challenge. By tabling this Brisbane-eThekwini Target allows for extended time to fulfil set goals," Hadebe said.

The Brisbane-eThekwini goal entails revision from 2025 to be achieved in 2035. The goal towards achieving the target will be subject to continued annual monitoring and reporting on wage disparities.

“We therefore urge G20 members to support this proposal and reaffirm our shared commitment to a future of opportunity for all. We are not calling for the reopening of the goal itself," he said.

South Africa as part of G20 Presidency in 2025 today (11 April) concluded the Second Group of Twenty Employment Working Group meeting which started on Tuesday at the Arch Convention Centre in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal.

The gathering discussed gender equality in the workforce and the growing labour income share disparity. The meeting was held under the EWG's theme: “Living and Working in an Unequal World: Ensuring Decent Work and Decent Lives". It aligns with South Africa's G20 Presidency theme: “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability."

The first EWG meeting was held in Gqeberha, discussed the  Nelson Mandela Bay Target — a five-year commitment to reduce global youth unemployment by five percent by 2030 through quality job creation, skills development, and youth-led innovation.

The Second EWG was attended by delegates from G20 members, invited countries, international organisations such as the International Labour Organization, World Bank and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and academic experts.

The next EWG meeting will be held in May in Geneva. 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr. Teboho Thejane, Departmental Spokesperson

082 697 0694/ teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za   

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour

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