BRICS nations adopt first joint statement at women ministers' meeting: Union Minister Annapurna Devi

Kochi, Jul 9 (PTI) Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi on Thursday said BRICS nations had, for the first time, unanimously adopted a joint statement at the Women Ministerial Meeting agreeing to cooperate on sharing best practices and promoting digital inclusion and capacity building for women. Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting here, Devi said the meeting, held under India's chairmanship, was attended by ministers and senior officials from all BRICS member countries. "This was the fourth meeting of the women's track held in India. It marks the first time a joint statement was issued and adopted with full consensus. Along with this, all BRICS nations unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to the vision of 'Women-Led Development'," she said. The minister said the member countries also reached consensus on two key deliverables -- sharing best practices on women's empowerment and working together on women's digital inclusion and capacity building to facilitate skill development. "The joint statement was finalised in a highly positive environment. Everyone highly praised India's chairmanship during the meetings held in Kochi," she said. Devi said three bilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the ministerial gathering, during which participating countries discussed best practices and reiterated their commitment to advancing the agenda of women's empowerment. "All BRICS nations agreed on the vision of 'Women-Led Development' and emphasised that we must not limit ourselves to discussions but ground these initiatives into reality. We will continue to share best practices and hold regular meetings to ensure women are economically and politically empowered," she said. Referring to the exhibition featuring products made by women from Self-Help Groups under the SARAS and Lakhpati Didi initiatives, she said delegates from BRICS countries appreciated the exhibits and purchased several products. The minister thanked the Kerala government for its support in hosting the event. "We would also like to express our gratitude to the honourable Chief Minister and his government from the State of Kerala for the immense cooperation extended by their officials. The meeting was held beautifully in Kochi," she said. Expressing confidence that member countries would implement the agreed deliverables, Devi said all participating nations had assured their commitment to work together on the initiatives identified during the meeting. The two-day meeting, attended by delegates from 11 BRICS member countries, concluded on Thursday. BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Indonesia joined the grouping in 2025. India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September this year. As part of its BRICS presidency, India is hosting a series of meetings across the country in the run-up to the summit. PTI TBA TBA ROH