G20 member states have reaffirmed their commitment to reducing the gender gap in labour force participation by 25% by 2030 under the newly launched Brisbane–eThekwini Goal, following a two-day Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting (LEMM) hosted at Fancourt Hotel and Country Estate in George.

Speaking at the closing session, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, said the renewed goal seeks not only numerical parity but also addresses the quality and conditions of women’s employment.

“In 2014, under Australia’s G20 Presidency, Leaders adopted the Brisbane Goal, committing to reduce the gender gap in labour force participation by 25% by 2025. Today, we acknowledge that progress has been uneven. While nearly all G20 countries have narrowed the gap since 2012, only about half are on track to meet the target by next year,” she said.

The new Brisbane–eThekwini Goal deepens the G20’s resolve to close the gender gap and ensure meaningful participation for women across the global labour market.

“The gender goal urges G20 to go beyond numerical parity and interrogate the quality of women’s participation: under what conditions, with what protections, and with what opportunity for advancement?” she added.

Key action points outlined under the renewed goal include promoting women’s leadership in high-growth sectors like STEM, investing in affordable care infrastructure, addressing occupational segregation and informal work, supporting equal access to training and entrepreneurship, and ensuring fair parental leave and work–life balance policies.

The Deputy Minister emphasised that the commitment is rooted in international labour standards, particularly ILO Conventions focused on discrimination, employment policy, and the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace.

“These instruments are central to protecting workers with family responsibilities and ensuring that care work is recognised, valued and decently remunerated,” she said.

The Brisbane–eThekwini Goal also introduces a second major target: reducing the unadjusted gender wage gap by 15% by 2035, measured against 2022 data, with a five-year review to potentially raise the target to 35%.

“To close the wage gap, we must enforce equal pay legislation, promote pay transparency, and tackle structural discrimination in wage-setting,” Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said.

She called for better gender-disaggregated data, stronger collective bargaining mechanisms, and support for initiatives such as the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC).

In closing, the Deputy Minister said the goal is more than a number—it is a principled pursuit.

“It is a call for courage, consistency and solidarity. As we leave this gathering, let us ensure that one’s gender does not condition the dignity of work, and that our economies are measured not only by growth, but by justice,” she said.

IOL News

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