November 20, 2018 was the day of handover of the Presidency of Women 20 – W20 from Argentina to Japan.
W20 Argentina hosted the W20 team with great enthusiasm and courtesy in Buenos Aires. The W20 meeting was held in CCK – Kirshner Cultural Center – in Buenos Aires. The text was agreed with comments from the W20 representatives in detail and attention, as well as dedication.
The next day several panels were held with the world leaders on gender issues. To cite just a few of the speakers were Phumzile Miambo Ngcuka, the Executive Director of UN Women; Gabriela Ramos, the Chief of Staff and Sherpa of OECD; Irene Natividad, the President of GlobeWomen Research and Education Institute; Lilianne Ploumen, Member of the Parliament of the Netherlands, Svetlana Lukash, the Russian G20 Sherpa from the Presidential Executive Office. Very knowledgeable other leaders from the region also had the opportunity to raise their voices or share their successes. All the speakers asked from the G20 world for support to enhance and raise women’s economic and social status for the economic enhancement in the respective countries.
The role of the women Sherpa’s in the history of G20 is never neglectable. The work of Gabriela Ramos, the G20 Sherpa of OECD; Svetlana Lukash, the G20 Sherpa of Russia; Beatriz Nofal, the former G20 Sherpa of Argentina, and Ayse Sinirlioglu the former G20 Sherpa of Turkey are the names that I remember that led the way to the W20 as an outreach group within the G20.
Susana Balbo, the Chair of W20 Argentina and her capable team did a great job in the preparation for the summit and during running of the W20 meeting. I wish to convey my sincere thanks to all of them.
First Lady Juliana Awada of Argentina was always with Women 20 – W20. She hosted the W20 meeting in Davos, she hosted the heads of delegation at the Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires, she was at the handover form W20 Germany to W20 Argentina. She was at the opening ceremony of the W20 summit. One of the best memorable moments of Buenos Aires was the time we spend at the Presidential Palace with the heads of delegation of Japan and Germany as well as Argentina.
President of Argentina, Mauricio Macri himself came to the W20 summit to pick up the W20 Communique from Susana Balbo and he declared in his speech that women’s labor force participation and economic inclusion constitute opportunities for better economic performance of the countries. He also gave an indication that they will continue to follow up the labor inclusion, financial and rural inclusion of women in Argentina.
Although rural women as a topic was first mentioned in the Communique of W20 Turkey, W20 Argentina added quite detailed work around the role of rural women and had great examples for successful women from the rural world.
On November 20, 2018, which was the day of handover of Women 20 -W20 Presidency from Argentina to Japan, the first few words from W20 Japan were work life balance, wellness, happiness, safety and dignity for women and the prosperity these can bring for the respective economies. I liked the opening words very much, because we need some form of happiness in the economies and I am quite sure that it can come with the inclusion of more women, as they are the key for economic prosperity and sustainability.
