We are hearing more and more about the main topics: the fight against hunger and poverty, the promotion of sustainable development and the reform of multilateral institutions. With the Leaders' Summit taking place on November 18 and 19 and an extensive schedule of previous meetings, comprehend and strengthen the spaces for civil society participation in this process is essential to enrich the discussions, increase the ambition of global leaders and expand the legacy of the G20 in Brazil, especially in the city of Rio. But how can civil society actually engage in a gathering of world leaders?
Civil society organizations from G20 member countries participate, with different intensities, in the thirteen Engagement Groups, such as Labour 20 (L20), Women 20 (W20), Youth 20 (Y20), Think 20 (T20), Civil 20 (C20), among others. The Engagement Groups were created with the aim of broadening the debate and reach of the G20, and count on the participation of social actors who influence the Leaders' Summit meeting through direct recommendations to the thematic debate.
Civil 20 (C20) is the group that brings together representatives of civil society organizations, entities and social movements to build proposals that are forwarded to world leaders and ensures that the recommendations and demands of civil society organizations are acknowledged by these authorities. It is a formal strategy to value the knowledge that comes from the territories to the global context. In January 2024, C20 opened registration for its activities and had more than 2100 organizations from 90 countries registered to participate.
Organizations participating in the C20 meet periodically within 10 working groups (WGs) that address topics such as food security, climate justice, gender equality, philanthropy, health, and education and culture. In the 2024 edition, the C20 is chaired by the Brazilian Association of NGOs (ABONG) and CSO Gestos in co-leadership. At the end of the work, the C20 will send a communiqué – final report – to each country's chief negotiators (Sherpas), seeking to influence the final message of the G20 Leaders' Summit.
As presented on the event's official website, the G20 Social will be a space for the different voices, struggles and demands of the populations and non-governmental agents of the countries that make up the largest economies in the world. Keeping up with the G20 Social agenda is the key to changing the picture of the G20's power, promoting powerful meetings inside and outside the decision-making rooms to deepen the debate on the fight against hunger and the promotion of sustainable development. The culmination of the G20 Social will be the Social Summit, which will take place between November 15 and 17, at Praça Mauá, in Rio de Janeiro, on the eve of the G20 Leaders' Summit.
The “Cúpula dos Povos” is another initiative for the organization and autonomous participation of civil society and social movements, which have a long tradition in Brazil. In 2012, during Rio+20, the People's Summit was held at Aterro do Flamengo, with the participation of thousands of people in seminars, lectures, workshops, assemblies and cultural activities that debated the causes of the socio-environmental crisis, the proposals for solutions and forms of cooperation between social movements in Brazil and around the world. In 2024, the coordination of the People's Summit has organized capacity-building sessions and seminars to mobilize social movements and organize activities on the G20 in Brazil, boosting popular engagement in the debate.
Finally, it is essential to highlight the importance of side events that are being promoted by civil society. They are the ones who democratize the G20 discussions, making it reach more people and territories throughout the city. The International Conference on Favelas, promoted by the Central Única das Favelas (CUFA) and launched in Complexo da Penha, is a powerful example of the capacity of civil society to connect local demands with solutions that leaders worldwide need to build. Topics such as hunger and floods easily connect to debates about taxing the super-rich and increasing climate finance for city adaptation.
On another front, F20, promoted by Voz das Comunidades, is a forum that mobilizes favela residents to debate G20 topics and give visibility to the demands discussed in the communities. Ação da Cidadania is a permanent reference in the construction of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty that the Federal Government is leading in the G20. Clima É de Mudança Coaltion is part of the National Confluence of Favelas, generating data about the G20 and pathways to COP30 throughout Brazil. The number of initiatives is vast and all voices should be valued in this debate. They are examples of the role of civil society in the defense of public policies that connect the local to the global.
The Rio G20 Committee, established by Mayor Eduardo Paes, supports and encourages the holding of side events by civil society on the themes of the G20, contributing directly to the construction of the intellectual legacy that will remain for the city. We strongly believe that the commitment to social justice, creativity and the energy of civil society are fundamental features for the success of the G20 Brazil and the materialization of the motto of the Brazilian presidency: "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet". Anyone who wants the institutional support of the Rio G20 Committee can access the g20.rio website and register their activity. It's our turn!
Henrique Silveira, special advisor at the Rio G20 Committee
Marcele Oliveira, young climate negotiator resident at the Rio G20 Committee
