BRICS Women Working Group meets in Kochi ahead of July 8-9 Ministerial
Synopsis
With 11 nations representing 40 per cent of global GDP gathering in Kochi, India's BRICS Chairship is making women-led development a centrepiece of the bloc's 2026 agenda. The Working Group meeting on 6-7 July sets the stage for a Ministerial on 8-9 July — the most substantive BRICS Women Track engagement yet.
Key Takeaways
The BRICS Women Working Group Meeting is being held in Kochi, Kerala on 6-7 July 2026 under India's BRICS Chairship .
It precedes the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting scheduled for 8-9 July 2026 .
BRICS comprises 11 member countries accounting for roughly 40 per cent of global GDP and 49.5 per cent of the global population .
Four priority areas: women in governance and leadership; digital and financial inclusion; entrepreneurship and skill development; and climate action, food security, and nutrition.
Three virtual preparatory meetings were held prior to the Kochi sessions to advance member-country consensus.
Senior officials from all 11 BRICS member countries are convening in Kochi, Kerala, on 6-7 July 2026 for the BRICS Women Working Group (WWG) Meeting, a key preparatory session ahead of the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting scheduled for 8-9 July. The back-to-back gatherings, hosted under India's BRICS Chairship, are aimed at building consensus on women-led development across the bloc's member states, according to an official statement.
What the Working Group Will Address
The WWG meeting brings together senior government officials to deliberate on women's empowerment across political, economic, and social sectors. According to the official statement, the sessions will advance 'practical cooperation' on shared priorities and build upon three earlier virtual preparatory meetings that have already shaped the agenda. The Working Group's deliberations are expected to feed directly into the Ministerial-level discussions on 8-9 July.
Four Priority Areas Under India's Chairship
Guided by India's BRICS Chairship theme — 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' — the BRICS Women Track has identified four focus areas for 2026: women in governance and leadership; women's digital and financial inclusion; women's entrepreneurship and skill development; and women's role in climate action, food security, and nutrition. Officials describe the approach as 'people-centric and humanity-first.'
Why BRICS Women Engagement Matters
The stakes are significant. BRICS now comprises 11 countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates — collectively accounting for roughly 40 per cent of global GDP and approximately 49.5 per cent of the global population. Within this vast demographic, women's economic and political participation shapes outcomes across every major sector. The Women Track is, accordingly, considered a strategically vital pillar of BRICS 2026.
India's Role as Host and Chair
As BRICS Chair this year, India has taken a proactive role in structuring the Women Track, convening multiple preparatory rounds before the Kochi meetings. Hosting the WWG and the subsequent Ministerial in Kerala signals New Delhi's intent to position gender-inclusive development as a flagship deliverable of its Chairship. The outcomes from these meetings are expected to inform the broader BRICS Summit agenda later in the year.
Point of View
The gap between stated priorities and verifiable outcomes on women's economic inclusion is growing harder to ignore. New Delhi has the convening power; whether it converts that into measurable gender-policy architecture will define the legacy of its 2026 Chairship.
NationPress
5 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BRICS Women Working Group Meeting in Kochi?
It is a senior-official-level meeting of all 11 BRICS member countries, held in Kochi on 6-7 July 2026, to deliberate on women's empowerment and build consensus ahead of the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting on 8-9 July. The session is part of India's BRICS Chairship agenda for 2026.
When is the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting and where?
The BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting is scheduled for 8-9 July 2026, also in Kochi, Kerala. It follows the Working Group Meeting and is expected to adopt higher-level outcomes on women-led development.
Which countries are part of BRICS in 2026?
BRICS now has 11 members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. Together they represent about 40 per cent of global GDP and 49.5 per cent of the global population.
What are the four priority areas of the BRICS Women Track under India's Chairship?
The four focus areas are: women in governance and leadership; women's digital and financial inclusion; women's entrepreneurship and skill development; and women's role in climate action, food security, and nutrition. These priorities align with India's Chairship theme of resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.
Why is India hosting the BRICS Women meetings in 2026?
India holds the BRICS Chairship in 2026 and has made gender-inclusive development a flagship theme. Hosting the Working Group and Ministerial meetings in Kochi is part of New Delhi's effort to position women-led development as a core deliverable of its Chairship year.
