The 2024 BRICS Women's Leadership Forum is held in Beijing on June 11, 2024. [Photo by Xu Xiaoxuan/China.org.cn]

The BRICS Women's Business Alliance (WBA) is an integral part of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, offering fresh pathways to unleash the entrepreneurial potential of women, said Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

Ren made this remark at the 2024 BRICS Women's Leadership Forum held on Tuesday in Beijing. The forum, themed "Value Diversity, Shared Prosperity" and a flagship event under BRICS, was co-hosted by CCPIT and the China Chamber of International Commerce . 

BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market cooperative mechanism that initially includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 

At this year's forum, Ren advocated for implementation of projects focused on women's education, employment, innovation and leadership training. He went further encouraging female representatives of the WBA to actively voice their opinions on the global stage, contributing greater wisdom and strength to the advancement of women's causes. 

Huang Xiaowei, vice-president and first member of the secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, emphasized that the participation and contributions of women are crucial for BRICS cooperation. She highlighted China's commitment to empowering and advancing women's causes, noting that women play a vital role in driving Chinese modernization. In China, women account for over 40% of the total workforce, with female workers in technology comprising 45.8%, Huang explained.

Siyabonga C. Cwele, South African ambassador to China, acknowledged the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, such as limited access to financial support and markets, high business costs and gender discrimination. He pointed out that the BRICS Women's Leadership Forum represents a unique opportunity to accelerate gender mainstreaming and harness the power of women's leadership to create a more sustainable, inclusive and just world. 

Munteha Jemal, plenipotentiary minister of the Ethiopia embassy in Beijing, highlighted the potential of BRICS Plus countries to formulate a gender equality program and serve as international role models. He added that these countries can work together to create a more impartial and all-encompassing world that empowers women, amplifies their voices and enables them to thrive in all aspects of life.

The forum also saw the release of the BRICS Women's Development Report 2024, which presents the current development status of women in BRICS countries across various areas, including business influence, scientific research, political decision-making, health and education. 

A panel discussion at the 2024 BRICS Women's Leadership Forum focusing on "she power," June 11, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the China Chamber of International Commerce]

Additionally, the event featured three panel discussions focusing on "she power," "she creation" and "she perspectives," aiming to pool women's wisdom in order to promote innovation and address global challenges. 

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