India’s Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, addressed an event on “Women-Led Development and South-South Cooperation – Success Stories from the IBSA Fund” during the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The event brought together ministers and representatives from Brazil, South Africa, Gambia, Fiji, Liberia, the United Nations Development Programme and other international partners.
In her remarks, Thakur highlighted the importance of Global South-led cooperation in advancing women’s empowerment, inclusive development and sustainable growth.
She said the India-Brazil-South Africa Fund, established in 2004, has supported more than 50 development projects in nearly 40 countries. According to Thakur, the fund demonstrates how South-South cooperation can help address shared development challenges through practical partnerships.
The minister said the IBSA Fund gives strong attention to projects that strengthen women’s leadership, participation and agency, in line with India’s broader focus on women-led development.
She pointed to a project in Liberia that supports the Women Legislative Caucus by building the capacity of women legislators. The initiative aims to promote gender-responsive governance, improve oversight mechanisms and support legal reforms addressing gender-discriminatory laws.
Thakur also highlighted a proposed floriculture project in Jordan designed to improve women’s economic participation while promoting sustainable environmental practices. The project includes plans for a reverse osmosis unit to reuse treated wastewater for floriculture production across 60 greenhouses and a five-hectare nursery.
The Jordan project is expected to support 50 women-led micro-enterprises and train 150 women in floriculture and business skills.
Thakur also outlined India’s domestic work on women-led development, noting government efforts to improve women’s access to education, skills training, digital empowerment and entrepreneurship.
She said India’s Union Budget 2025–26 has allocated around USD 60 billion, or ₹5.01 lakh crore, towards gender budgeting, representing an increase of more than eight per cent from the previous year.
Thakur said the IBSA Fund remains an important example of Global South cooperation, allowing countries to work together on shared development priorities. She reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening such partnerships to support women’s empowerment and sustainable development.
On the sidelines of CSW-70, Thakur also met with Sindisiwe Chikunga, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
The two ministers discussed cooperation under the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum, including the IBSA Fund for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation. They also exchanged views on collaboration through platforms such as the G20 and BRICS, especially around digital public infrastructure and women-focused initiatives.