Ekurhuleni, South Africa — Today is the final day of the G20 Social Summit, which was created to bring the voices of civil society into the G20 fold.
Since Tuesday, the South African government estimates that 5,000 people have made an appearance — and through side events, plenaries, and working group discussions, attendees endorsed their final outcome document last night.
This morning, I’ve been hearing a bit more frustration than I did last night. People are asking: Were recommendations actually taken into account, given that the majority of the declaration was drafted before the summit began? Does this feel like real participation, or just a performative exercise? And will world leaders even read this document once it hits their desks?
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About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
