BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting Concludes with Landmark Agreements
The BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting concluded on July 9, 2026, in Kochi, India, under India's BRICS Chairmanship 2026. The four-day engagement from July 6-9 comprised the BRICS Women Working Group Meeting and the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting, bringing together Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and senior officials from BRICS member countries to deliberate on shared priorities for advancing gender equality and women's empowerment.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Annapurna Devi emphasized that despite diverse geographical, socio-economic, and cultural contexts, BRICS members share common concerns relating to women's empowerment, highlighting the importance of platforms like the BRICS Women Ministerial Track for fostering dialogue and strengthening cooperation.
The landmark outcome was the adoption of the first-ever Joint Statement in the Women Track, reflecting the shared commitment of BRICS Member Countries to strengthen cooperation in promoting women-led development in all spheres. Secretary Anil Malik of the Ministry of Women and Child Development stated that this adoption represents tangible proof of the shared resolve to respond to common challenges.
India proposed two new initiatives to strengthen long-term collaboration: the BRICS Digital Repository of Best Practices, which will serve as a shared platform for documenting and exchanging successful policies, programs, and innovations on women's empowerment, and the BRICS Digital Capacity Building Guidelines, which aims to promote institutional collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and strengthen capacity building to accelerate women's empowerment through sustained cooperation.
On the sidelines, India organized thematic panel discussions bringing together policymakers, experts, practitioners, and development partners to exchange experiences and best practices on digital inclusion, women's entrepreneurship, financial empowerment, climate resilience, food security, and nutrition. An exhibition showcased India's women-led development initiatives including rural livelihoods through SARAS and the Lakhpati Didi initiative, women's participation in sports through ASMITA, women in STEM, financial inclusion initiatives, and flagship programs of the Ministry of Women and Child Development such as SHE-Box, One Stop Centres, and the Women's Helpline.
The meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment of BRICS Member Countries to deepen cooperation, strengthen institutional partnerships, promote knowledge exchange, and advance women-led development as a key driver of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth.