Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery's speech during the G20 Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women Ministerial Meeting

Dear Minister, your excellencies and distinguished delegates,

Congratulations to Brazil on the G20 Presidency this year. And congratulations to you, Minister Gonçalves on the steady leadership in the first year of the Women Empowerment Working Group.

Norway highly appreciates the invitation from Brazil to participate as a guest country to the G20. Norway is strongly committed to upholding and advancing gender equality and the rights of women and girls in all their diversity.

We, the large majority present here, have come together and agreed on a strong document. Norway greatly regrets that Argentina was not willing to join the consensus.

We appreaciate the great work done by Brazilian G20 Presidency to establish cruical collaboration between the Empowerment of Women Working Group and the Finance Track – and with other working groups.

This is an essential first step towards systematically integrating a gender equality perspective in the work of all working groups of the G20.

Ensuring gender mainstreaming in all policy is necessary if we are to reach the SDGs. We, the ministers responsible for gender equality and women’s empowerment, must keep our ambitions high and make clear demands.

Gender equality is not an optional policy. Gender equality is human rights.

And it is an investment. An investment in our societies and our common future.

By achieving gender equality, we ensure that everyone can live free, safe and dignified lives. Gender equality is not a zero-sum game – quite the opposite – it means more cake for everyone.

Take welfare policies as an example: In Norway, securing full kindergarten coverage and providing paid parental leave, including a father’s quota, has been extremely important for women’s participation in the labour market. But, not only did this have positive effects for women – it also bolstered men’s role as caregivers and increased our GDP.

Investing in gender equality is smart economics. I am happy that this is clearly reflected in the Chair’s statement

Securing women in all their diversity equal pay, equal participation in the labour market and in decision-making processes are all crucial and necessary steps towards achieving gender equality. However, these measures alone will not be enough.

Access to comprehensive sexuality education, contraception, maternal health care, access to safe abortions and the right to make decisions about one's body and sexuality are fundamental.

Fundamental for the well-being, dignity and health. Fundamental for a life free from discrimination and violence. And for sustainable development, poverty eradication and economic growth.

Therefore, the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the Chair’s statement brings me hope that we are on the right track. It is a necessity for the advancement of all rights, including political and economic participation of women.

Norway is committed to the right of every girl and woman to decide what to do with her body, with her life, and with her future. I hope that the G20 working group on Women’s Empowerment will continue to prioritize these critical issues in the coming year.

Congratulations again to the Brazilian G20 Presidency for a successful chairing of the Women’s Empowerment Working Group.

Thank you.