JOHANNESBURG - South Africa’s G20 Women to Africa event has placed women’s struggles in business under the spotlight.
Private companies, financial institutions, and government leaders gathered at the Inanda Club in Sandton to commit to tackling barriers such as financial exclusion, gender-based violence, and limited access to opportunities.
The event, hosted in partnership with Standard Bank and Time Africa, carried the theme: “Collaborative Ecosystems for Successful and Resilient Women Businesses.
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Broadcast journalist turned entrepreneur Cathy Mohlahlana told eNCA that funding and market access remain major hurdles for women.
Another challenge is navigating male-dominated industries.
While being in the man's world, as she would call it, is not easy, it is in these very same spaces where one has to try to push forward and thrive regardless.
These are the same sentiments echoed by Standard Bank chief executive Luvuyo Masinda who said it is time to change the narrative.
Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, said no economy can thrive if women remain locked out of finance, safety, and dignity.
Chikunga warned that progress without transformation only reinforces inequality.
She called for action - from unlocking affordable capital for women-owned businesses to placing women at the centre of Africa’s new industries, like renewable energy and agritech.