Voices of Influence: African Women Shaping the G20 Agenda

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb

At Quote This Woman+, we believe in the power of the mic. And in Cape Town over 21–22 May 2025, that mic was handed to African women who are not just participating in global conversations, they’re reshaping them.

At the inaugural Women20 South Africa (W20SA) Summit, held for the first time on African soil, over 100 delegates from across the globe converged in Cape Town under the theme “Women in Solidarity.” As the official G20 engagement group on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, W20SA marked a significant moment in history, one where African women’s voices were not only present, but central.

Because when African women speak, especially on platforms influencing the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, the world listens, not only to challenges, but to visionary, people-centred solutions rooted in ubuntu, resilience, and lived experience.

From Problems to Proposals: Redefining Global Priorities

The summit addressed the usual suspects: gender-based violence, access to capital, representation in STEM, and unpaid care work. But what truly stood out was the urgency and clarity with which African women demanded actionable outcomes designed by, with, and for the Global South.

In interviews conducted by Quote This Woman+ and featured in our Media Alert Newsletters, several experts offered bold insights on Africa’s evolving global role, reflections that echo and expand on the themes raised at W20SA.

Dr Narnia Bohler-Muller from the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa’s lead delegate to W20, put it powerfully:

“One of our primary goals is to capture and maintain the focus of influential leaders, decision-makers, and policymakers on gender equality and women’s empowerment. We aim to drive meaningful change that improves the lives of all women by presenting clear, evidence-based facts, demonstrating that when women thrive, our economies and societies flourish.”

Her vision underscores the importance of recognising care work, halting gender-based violence, prioritising women’s health, and enabling access to land, all integral to both gender justice and broader global well-being.

Rethinking Power: Africa in the Global Arena

The summit wasn’t just about gender. It was about power, politics, and how African women are reshaping global diplomacy.

As highlighted in our May 2025 Media Alert newsletter, Lebohang Liepollo Pheko, a decolonial feminist and political economist, minced no words in her assessment:

“The era of unilateral economic pressure and political posturing is over. When the US attempts to punish South Africa for exercising independent foreign policy or pursuing multipolar alliances, it inadvertently harms its own strategic interests.”

She pointed to critical leverage points:

South Africa’s role in the global supply chain of minerals for green tech
Its strategic position as a gateway to the $400 billion AfCFTA market
And Africa’s youthful population, bursting with innovation.

This is not a continent waiting for aid. It’s a continent shaping its own destiny.

Economist Nomahlubi Jakuja, in conversation with QW+, echoed this sentiment:

“South Africa cannot lose any new or old investments… However, this is an opportunity to reset the trade balance. We’ve had 600 US companies operating in South Africa for the last 20 years, but without tangible growth. It’s time these relationships support real economic transformation.”

AGOA Must Evolve Or Become Irrelevant

Mesela Kope-Nhlapo, CEO of the African Rail Industry Association, stressed that trade frameworks like AGOA (the African Growth and Opportunity Act) need a radical rethink:

“AGOA 2.0 must serve as a catalyst for investment in value-added industries, support youth entrepreneurship and women-led enterprises, and align with AfCFTA. It must evolve into a platform for deeper collaboration, not a ceiling to Africa’s aspirations.”

She went on to say:

“Africa is not static. We are moving, becoming, and learning from global instruments. Our continent is not waiting to be shaped, it is shaping itself… What we need now are partners who rise with us — not transactional engagements, but strategic co-creation.”

Africa Is Rising. Are You Listening?

The W20SA reminded the world: African women are not asking for a seat at the table. They’re building new tables, with policies rooted in justice, intersectionality, and African feminist futures.

On this year’s Africa Day we may have made history. But the work continues.

Here’s how you can amplify these voices:

Nominate women from underrepresented sectors to join the QW+ expert database.
Engage with us by sharing how you’re continuing Africa Day’s spirit of justice and empowerment.
Tag us. Quote them. Pass the mic.

Because when African women speak, the world becomes more just.

Wendy Papo is the Quote this Woman+ Database and communication manager.