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?