Gender equity is crucial for achieving human rights, promoting economic growth and fair and sustainable development. However, to attain greater gender equity, the design and implementation of public policies and programs must consider gender-specific needs and priorities. In other words, the approach must mainstream a gender perspective. The G20 process has recently taken up this agenda and continues to provide fertile ground to promote gender mainstreaming and women’s rights in general. This holds true provided that experts, scholars, and businesspeople are aware of the nuances of the G20 process and use this forum as a platform to address gender issues.

This document draws on the lessons learnt regarding gender mainstreaming during the German and Argentine G20 presidencies and its goal is to become a guide for teams advancing this agenda during future G20 processes. To that end, it is organised into three sections. The first describes the current G20 process and the opportunities available to promote the gender agenda. The second identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to mainstream gender in the G20 process. The third and final section distils lessons learnt and makes recommendations for gender mainstreaming efforts in future G20 presidencies.