PROFILE CRTVE DEVELOPMENT
During South Africa’ s G20 Presidency in 2025, CD served as the official narrative partner to the Women 20( W20) – the G20’ s forum on gender equality and women’ s economic empowerment. Through this platform, Dr. Wedi led a powerful call to action: Care is Capital. Anchored by the campaign’ s flagship message, The Real Economy, this work reframed caregiving, safety and women’ s financial inclusion as foundational to economic resilience, particularly in a world grappling with instability, climate crises, and deepening inequality.
The Johannesburg goals: From policy to commitment
One of the campaign’ s key outcomes was the introduction of the Johannesburg Goals – a set of bold targets aimed at reducing gender gaps in employment, pay, and unpaid care by 35 % by 2035. These targets were formally acknowledged in the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Declaration, marking a historic turning point in how care is positioned in global economic discourse.
“ When care work is ignored, it puts entire economies at risk,” Dr. Wedi says.“ We can no longer afford to treat it as invisible. Recognising care work, protecting safety, and ensuring women’ s financial inclusion are not soft issues – they are hard economic imperatives.”
Faces of the Real Economy
To shift not just policy, but public imagination, the campaign launched Faces of the Real Economy – a photographic and film series by acclaimed visual artist Tatenda Chidora. Each portrait is styled as a magazine cover accompanied by intimate film storytelling that honours the everyday leaders holding society together.
The featured changemakers include:
• Desiree Ellis, Banyana Banyana coach and football icon
• Nicolette Mashile, financial literacy entrepreneur
• Dr. Katlego Lekalakala, women ' s health advocate
• Sam Gqomo, founder of the Womandla Foundation
• Siv Ngesi, actor and gender-based violence activist
• Nurses, teachers, caregivers, domestic workers, entrepreneurs and community builders whose labour is often invisible, but indispensable.
This series confronts deeply held ideas about whose work counts, visually reclaiming public space for the people powering Africa’ s real economy.
Narrative as strategy
Dr. Wedi’ s work is grounded in a belief that stories are strategy, and that narrative power is essential for structural change. Through CD’ s creative campaigning, storytelling becomes a tool for advocacy, policy influence, and economic redefinition.
To date, Crtve Development has reached over 500 million people across Africa, working with major global partners including the United Nations, Uniting to Combat NTDs, Global Citizen and Purpose PBC. The organisation continues to shape multilateral spaces, elevate African voices and champion inclusive development from the ground up.
“ When we change the story, we change what’ s possible,” Dr. Wedi says.“ And when women lead that storytelling, entire systems begin to shift.”
The Real Economy Summit – March 2026
Following its impact at the G20, The Real Economy Campaign now builds momentum toward the first-ever Real Economy Summit, set to take place on 8 March 2026, International Women ' s Day.
The summit will convene African leaders, cultural influencers, private sector partners and policymakers to commit to tangible investments in care infrastructure, community safety and women’ s economic empowerment. It aims to solidify care as a permanent pillar of Africa’ s development agenda – and move from recognition to real resourcing. ■
About Dr. Okito Wedi
Dr. Wedi is a medical doctor and specialist in global health and policy. Her work spans over 15 years in health systems strengthening, climate and gender justice, and economic reform. As the founder of Crtve Development, she champions a bold vision: African-led development shaped by the voices, labour, and leadership of its women.
About Crtve Development( CD)
Crtve Development is a Pan-African advocacy and storytelling organisation advancing sustainable development through creativity, culture, and data. CD builds Africa’ s narrative infrastructure to influence policy, shift public thinking, and drive systemic change.
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