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G20 FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE 2025
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G20 FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE 2025
24 March 2025
30 March 2025
23 April 2025
15 March 2025
28 March 2025
4 April 2025
Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment, G20 South Africa, Women Entrepreneurship, Care Economy, Green Economy, Entrepreneurship Development
Welcome from the Chairs
The 2025 Conference on Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment, hosted by the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) alongside Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), is scheduled for May 6 to 7, 2025, at the Sun City Resort in Northwest Province, South Africa. Building on the outcomes from Brazil's 2024 Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment Conference, this crucial event seeks to enhance both global and regional commitments to women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion. Serving as a transformative platform, the conference will tackle systemic barriers to financial inclusion and entrepreneurship while advocating for gender equality. It will gather global and local participants—from policymakers and business leaders to academics and advocates—to create actionable solutions that can reshape financial ecosystems, promote economic justice, and support women and marginalised communities.
Anchored in South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the conference aligns with critical global and regional frameworks, including the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) Key Priority 2 (Promoting Financial Inclusion of and for Women), the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union Agenda 2063, and South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. These alignments underscore financial inclusion as a key driver of sustainable development, poverty reduction, and gender equity.
The conference will focus on key themes such as economic justice, gender-sensitive procurement, land rights and agribusiness, digital financial tools, and green economy entrepreneurship. Its goal is to empower women and foster inclusive, sustainable growth by addressing intersectional barriers and presenting innovative solutions. South Africa’s rich legacy of human rights and social justice serves as a compelling backdrop for this event, enhancing its impact globally.
The 2025 Conference on Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment seeks to create transformative impacts that redefine financial systems, empower women, and promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth globally. Given South Africa’s strong human rights and social justice legacy, it serves as an excellent venue for this international discussion. The conference will enhance the country’s leadership in gender equity and financial inclusion, aligning its results with the wider African and global development agenda.
Event Organizers
Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD)
Government of South Africa
The mandate of the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa, is to lead on socio-economic transformation and implementation of the empowerment and participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities through mainstreaming, advocacy, monitoring, and evaluation. The vision of the department is of a transformed, inclusive society free from all forms of discrimination and capable of self-actualisation.
Its mission is to provide strategic leadership, advocacy, and coordination to government departments and the country on mainstreaming socio-economic empowerment of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The department’s values are tolerance and respect in the workplace, professionalism, continuous learning, integrity, caring, accountability, inclusivity, and empowerment.
Prince.Booi@dwypd.gov.za
Tshwane University of Technology Centre for Entrepreneurship Development
Tshwane University of Technology
The TUT Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (TUT CED), a pivotal initiative of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), has achieved notable recognition in its 5th year of operation. In 2023, the centre was honoured with the National Presidential SMME & Cooperatives Awards for Innovative Solutions for Small Businesses.
Managed by TUT's Faculty of Management Sciences, TUT CED fosters economic participation and inclusion, particularly for grassroots women, youth, and people with disabilities. The centre’s comprehensive approach involves entrepreneurial education, business development and support services for start-ups, including training, coaching, mentoring, and access to a network of resources. TUT CED plays a crucial role in accelerating the successful development of entrepreneurial ventures by providing essential business support resources and services for early-stage entrepreneurs.
In its commitment to economic development, TUT CED focuses on programs tailored to enhance SMMEs and co-operatives in rural, township, and mining towns, aiming to integrate them fully into the mainstream economy. This strategic alignment with the economic development goals of South Africa, as outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP 2030), and regional and international socio-economic goals, such as those in the African Agenda 2063 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals showcases the centre’s dedication to broader societal advancement. Beneficiaries of TUT CED span various industries, including Agriculture & Agro-processing, Construction, Cultural & Creative Industries, Healthcare, Information Technology & Digitalisation, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, Social Services, and Tourism. The centre’s recognition through the National Presidential SMME & Cooperatives Awards further validates its contributions to innovation and sustainable solutions for small businesses.
ced@tut.ac.za
Event Chairs
Irene, Bridget N is a Senior Lecturer at the Leicester Castle Business School, De Montfort University, Leicester. Her scholarly interests range widely, encompassing entrepreneurship and focusing on the culturally instantiated facets of the debate on gender entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial competencies, family businesses, entrepreneurship education, and the informal economy. Her PhD research contributes to the already established discourse on gendering entrepreneurship and provides explicit feminist perspectives highlighting the inadvertent reinforcement of women’s subordination to men in the context of entrepreneurial endeavours.
bridget.irene@dmu.ac.uk
Dr Patrick Ebewo is a distinguished enterprise and entrepreneurship development expert who significantly impacts academia and social initiatives within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. With over a decade of experience in academia and industry, he has collaborated with private and public enterprises, playing a pivotal role in shaping entrepreneurship programs to foster positive societal change. Dr. Ebewo's educational background is robust, with a Doctoral degree in Business Administration specialising in Entrepreneurship Development. As the Head of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Dr. Ebewo brings extensive experience and expertise to shaping academic curricula and guiding aspiring entrepreneurs. His leadership extends to the TUT Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, where he spearheads initiatives to support sustainable emerging businesses. Under his direction, the Centre facilitates innovative business ideas, cultivates entrepreneurial competence, and fosters a culture of peer support and networking. His leadership at the TUT Centre for Entrepreneurship Development earned the esteemed 2023 Presidential Award for Innovative Solutions in Small Business Development, acknowledging his exceptional contributions to entrepreneurship. Dr. Ebewo is also an active contributor to academic scholarship. He is on the Editorial board of the Journal of Business Leadership and Management and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Entrepreneurial Innovations. He is a reviewer for several prestigious journals, including Cogent Business & Management, MDPI Journal: Education Sciences and Behavioral Sciences, International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, Journal of Enterprise and Development (JED), and Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research. His research portfolio includes 21 peer-reviewed journal articles, 16 conference presentations, and a published book chapter on Defining Arts and Cultural Entrepreneurship from a South African perspective.
Prof Motshedisi (Tshidi) Mathibe is an award winning case writer, NRF and NIHSS grant holder, Associate Professor and Head of Business Management and Entrepreneurship at GIBS. Her research interests are in the field of social entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurship, informality, township economy, and Base of the Pyramid markets. In addition to teaching and research responsibilities, Prof Mathibe plays a vital role from ideation to development to a presentation of these young minds’ solutions to the company’s senior management. She is involved with The United Nation’s Global Impact Young Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Innovators Programme. Here, she mentors and supports a team of young innovators in their efforts to frame a challenge, applying sustainable business and innovative concepts/ideas to create tangible business solutions with real market potential. Prof Mathibe is an adhoc reviewer for NRF rating applications, an examiner for Masters and PhD thesis for universities across South Africa, a research collaborator across Africa, UK and Canada, and an adhoc reviewer for conference papers and journals. Prof Mathibe currently also supervises masters and MPhil students. In addition to her research focus, Dr Mathibe has extensive experience in curriculum design and content development.
mathibet@gibs.co.za
Event Committee
elona.ndlovu@obc.ac.uk
Central University of Technology (South Africa)
SMbangiswano@cut.ac.za
National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa
Mpendulo Sibiya holds a master’s degree in Astronomy and is a career coach, STEM advocate, and digital media strategist dedicated to empowering South African youth through job readiness, professional branding, and industry exposure. With a strong background in content creation, social media engagement, and public speaking, Mpendulo utilises digital platforms to connect job people with opportunities and insights from industry leaders. As the founder of a resume branding and career development service, Mpendulo has successfully assisted thousands of job seekers and graduates in optimising their CVs, preparing for interviews, and navigating the job market. Her expertise encompasses content marketing, social media strategy, and event communications, particularly for high-impact conferences, symposiums, and recruitment campaigns. Mpendulo is also the host of the **Beyond the CV Podcast**, where she interviews hiring managers, recruiters, financial experts, and professionals, providing valuable career and financial literacy insights to a growing audience across YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Her influence extends to over 296K followers on TikTok and a WhatsApp network of more than 37K subscribers in her WhatsApp channel, establishing her as a trusted voice in the job market and career development space. In addition to her career coaching efforts, Mpendulo has developed event communication strategies for major organisations, including the NRF Science Matters magazine, the Merging Researchers Symposium 2024, the China-SA job Fair 2024, Working World Exhibition (WWE) 2025, and the W20 2025 launch. Her ability to blend storytelling, strategic branding, and audience engagement makes her a highly sought-after consultant for digital marketing and activation campaigns. Mpendulo is passionate about leveraging digital platforms to bridge the gap between talent and opportunities, ensuring that young professionals are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed in today’s evolving job market.
mpendulosibiya2@gmail.com
Sessions
ACADEMIC STREAM 2. Policy and Regulatory Frameworks for Gender-Inclusive Finance
ACADEMIC STREAM 3. Digital Financial Solutions for Marginalised Communities
ACADEMIC STREAM 4. Women in Green Economy
ACADEMIC STREAM 5. Gender Equity, Economic Justice, and Access
ACADEMIC STREAM 6. Recognising and Valuing Unpaid Labour
Registration
Kindly note that you need to apply to join us as a delegate. Please submit your completed application by 4th April 2025. All successful applicants will be notified by 11th April 2025.
Instructions for Authors
Attached are the instructions for the proceedings paper, including the style guide, reference guide, and conflicts of interest.
Attached is the presentation slide template for use at the conference. Please note no co-branding is allowed.
Venue, Travel and Accommodation
Sun City Resort is proud to host the G20 Financial Inclusion and Women Empowerment Conference 2025, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to drive meaningful change. Set in South Africa’s North West Province, the resort offers a world-class venue for impactful discussions and collaboration. Delegates can reach Sun City via a 2-hour self-drive from OR Tambo or Lanseria Airport, private road transfers, or direct flights to Sun City Resort Airport. With premium accommodation, state-of-the-art conference facilities, and renowned hospitality, Sun City provides an inspiring setting for advancing financial inclusion and women's empowerment on a global scale.
History was made in 1979 when Sun City was opened in the North West to become the best holiday resort in South Africa, and for good reason. Home to the Valley of Waves and sprawled along the border of the Pilanesberg National Park, Sun City Resort enjoys the fine distinction of being the only surf-and-safari destination within a two-hour drive of landlocked Johannesburg.
Self-drive from OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg: Rent a car and drive to Sun City Resort. Once past Johannesburg traffic, the trip takes about 2 hours. Take the R21 north to Pretoria/Polokwane, then the N4 to Rustenburg. After Rustenburg, turn right onto the R565 to Sun City. Self-drive From Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg: A quicker 2-hour drive. Lanseria Airport (Magaliesberg area) avoids city traffic. Take the N14 to Krugersdorp, then the R24 to Rustenburg. Continue on the N4 and R565 to Sun City. Private Road Transfers: Daily private transfers from OR Tambo, Johannesburg, or Pretoria hotels to Sun City are available. Flights: Direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Sun City Resort Airport are now available. Learn more: https://www.suninternational.com/sun-city/fly-to-sun-city/
For visa information, please visit https://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/apply-for-a-south-african-visa.
Recommended hotels
| Hotel/Accommodation | Address | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Palace of the Lost City | Sun City Resort, R556, 0316, Sun City Rustenburg, North West, South Africa | Since inception in 1992, The Palace of the Lost City has enthralled visitors from all over the globe. Its unique setting in South Africa, on an extinct volcanic site among the Pilanesberg mountains. |
| Cascades Hotel | Sun City Resort, R556, 0316, Sun City Rustenburg, North West, South Africa | Named for the waterfalls and calming pools that trickle throughout the property, the 5-star Cascades hotel is an oasis of calm in the midst of the Sun City Resort and in close proximity to all the activities Sun City has to offer. |
| Sun City Hotel and Casino | Sun City Resort, R556, 0316, Sun City Rustenburg, North West, South Africa | Often referred to as the Main Hotel, the Sun City Hotel and Casino was the first hotel to be built on the resort. This 4-star Sun City accommodation is located right at the heart of Sun City, and is central to all the activities. |
| Cabanas Hotel | Sun City Resort, R556, 0316, Sun City Rustenburg, North West, South Africa | The Cabanas hotel is situated at the Sun City Waterworld Lake, offering guests a contemporary twist and great ‘base’ to explore the resort. |
List of Authors (1)
Sponsors and Partners
For information regarding sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please click here.
Hosts
Cooperations
