Senior government officials from the BRICS Member Countries are participating in the two-day meeting to deliberate on key issues relating to women's empowerment and women-led development while strengthening cooperation across areas of shared interest.
Welcoming the delegates, Anil Malik, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, said, "While geography kept us physically apart, our shared commitment to advancing women's empowerment has kept us closely connected."
He expressed confidence that the meeting would facilitate meaningful discussions, mutual learning and constructive collaboration, further strengthening the collective commitment of BRICS countries towards the empowerment of women.
Referring to India's BRICS Chairship, Malik said that the Women Track has been guided by four priority areas that reflect the shared aspirations of BRICS nations and contemporary global challenges.
These include building a more resilient BRICS through women's governance and leadership; advancing financial and digital inclusion as catalysts for change; promoting women's entrepreneurship and skill development; and strengthening women's role in climate action, food security and nutrition.
He noted that these priorities have provided a strong framework for engagement over the past several months and would continue to guide the deliberations during the Kochi meeting.
He also expressed confidence that the constructive spirit demonstrated by Member Countries during the preparatory consultations would continue to shape the discussions over the next two days, enabling participants to exchange perspectives, refine their shared understanding and build consensus on the outcomes of the meeting.
The discussions are being held under India's BRICS Chairship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," reflecting a people-centric and humanity-first approach.
The Working Group meeting will be followed by the 2-day Ministerial Meeting, which will be held in Kochi on 8th and 9th July, 2026.