At the invitation of the G20 Presidency of Brazil, Sharmeen S. Murshid, Adviser for Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare of Bangladesh, represented her nation at the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Women’s Empowerment. Held on 11 October 2024, this Ministerial Meeting followed the 4th Meeting of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG), which took place from 8-10 October 2024. The Adviser was accompanied by Sadia Faizunnesa, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Brazil, and Dilara Begum, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

Adviser Murshid called for a united global effort to create a world where women and girls can thrive, free from violence, discrimination, and societal barriers. She underscored the importance of amplifying youth voices, referencing the recent student movements in Bangladesh advocating for justice and meaningful change. She highlighted Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s leadership and vision in spearheading the efforts to build a discrimination-free Bangladesh. Her message deeply resonated with the G20 Brazilian Presidency and member states.

Adviser Murshid expressed her gratitude to the G20 Brazilian Presidency for inviting Bangladesh, reaffirming the country’s unwavering commitment to the G20’s Women Empowerment Working Group. She highlighted Bangladesh’s success in promoting gender equality and economic inclusion through innovative microcredit and social business models. She also stressed the need for urgent international collaboration to tackle the unique challenges women and girls face worldwide, urging all to uphold universal values such as non-violence, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.

During her visit, Adviser Murshid held several high-profile meetings with global leaders. She met with Brazil’s First Lady, Janja Lula da Silva, and Minister for Women, Cida Gonçalves, discussing initiatives to enhance cooperation on women’s empowerment. During a productive bilateral meeting with South Africa’s Minister Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga, both leaders expressed optimism about Bangladesh’s active participation in the G20 Women Empowerment Working Group under South Africa’s upcoming presidency.

She also met with the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, with their conversation focusing on Bangladesh’s pioneering work in empowering women through social business initiatives. U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Geeta Rao Gupta also met with Adviser Murshid where Ambassador Gupta praised Bangladesh’s reform efforts and reaffirmed the U.S.’s strong support for continued collaboration with Bangladesh, especially in empowering vulnerable women.

On the sidelines of the Ministerial, Adviser Murshid had discussions with delegations from Saudi Arabia, UN Women, and UNESCO, further strengthening Bangladesh’s international partnerships and exploring new avenues of cooperation for women’s empowerment.

Earlier, on 10 October 2024, Adviser Murshid was warmly welcomed at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty), by Vice Minister Maria Rocha, the first-ever woman Secretary General of Itamaraty. In their meeting, they both expressed optimism about deepening bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of social business and women’s empowerment.

Additionally, Bangladesh was also honoured with an invitation to join the G20 Working Groups on Climate Change and the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. Bangladesh’s leadership in microcredit and its significant contributions to poverty reduction were widely recognized and appreciated by the G20 Presidency and member countries.

Adviser Murshid’s visit marked a milestone as the first by a representative of Bangladesh’s Interim Government to Brazil. Her participation in the G20 Ministerial Meeting solidified Bangladesh’s role in global efforts to empower women and reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to a more inclusive and equitable future for all.