The importance of engaging with civil society. As the year draws to a close, we invariably ask ourselves what has been accomplished over its course. We reflect, we tick off lists, we look at what could have been done differently and we revel in our successes.
ED's Note
The year 2015 is considered a watershed year. Not only did the international community come together to commit to landmark agreements, it also opted for a more inclusive course in getting to those agreements. For instance, a key aspect that dierentiates the post 2015 Development Agenda from its predecessor is the wide-ranging nature of its deliberations – the United Nations went out to actively seek inputs from civil society, academia and the business community in its attempt to identify the set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2018 was a significant year for BRICS. Not only did it mark the 10th annual gathering of the bloc’s leaders, representing a decade of cooperation at the highest diplomatic level; it was also the first-time women’s rights issues were placed on the agenda through the proposed establishment of the BRICS Gender and Women’s Forum – and this, under the rotational chairship that South Africa had assume from 1 January to 31 December 2018.
The forum is intended to track progress on issues that affect women directly, from providing them with access to affordable a leadership role in taking decisive action – thanks in no small measure to the laudable efforts of civil society, which has been at the forefront of ensuring that gender issues play a key role in the BRICS agenda.
