"A timely historic/"herstoric" period happened at the recent G20, held for the first time in Africa, South Africa, and the COP30 where for the first time it was held in the second most populous place of African Peoples, Brazil,” said Walker-Smith. “Both invited inclusive voices and processes during the presidencies of these countries, nationally and globally, in 2025.”

Their integrative processes were also engaged in and outside of the rooms of negotiations, added Walker-Smith. “The resulting G20 South Africa Summit: Leaders’ Declaration and COP30 Belem Political Package have the potential to be substantive game changers to furthering more equitable and environmental plans of sustaining and promoting life,” she said. 

“Still, the stubborn age-old question that continues to haunt us, is how and will the G20 and COP30 members and partners actually follow through and invest and reinvest, not only with monetary capital but sustained common good will of solidarity and equity, social capital, and deepened buy-in from their stakeholders of people and planet they are accountable to?”

At G20, Walker-Smith joined other advocates for the prevention of gender-based violence for a “shutdown"  that shut down the G20-related People's Summit.

Thousands of women at the shutdown made history in South Africa.

On 21 November, just days before the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, South African women brought their country to a standstill with a powerful message: declare gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster.

At the Union Buildings lawns in Pretoria, the seat of government, thousands of protesters dressed in black with touches of purple began gathering in the morning of 21 November. Their voices rose in traditional songs of struggle — "Senzeni na?" (What have we done to deserve this?) and "Zizaw'ujik'izinto" (Things will change) — before culminating in a powerful moment at midday, when protesters lay on the ground in silence, honouring the memory of women who are killed every day in South Africa, according to data cited by the national nonprofit organization, “Women for Change.”

“I came here not only because I've got people that I know who have been victims of femicide and gender-based violence, but because this is a crisis. We see women dying every day, and we need our voices to be heard,” said 28-year-old Lebogang Ntsia, standing among thousands at the Union Buildings. "Just as women many years ago protested here (against apartheid laws) and showed up for the changes that we are privileged to experience today, we also need to be the generation that steps up.”

The Pan African Women of Faith Ecumenical Empowerment Network released a “Black Women of Faith” report during a COP consultation, and some of these women were l leaders in the Black Women’s Million Woman March on 25 November in Brazil. 

The Pan African Women of Faith Ecumenical Empowerment Network also released a “South African Women of Faith” report during the G20, and some of these women were leaders in the women's shutdown.

Dr. Walker-Smith noted that the issues at the heart of the G20 and COP30 are about honoring and protecting future generations.

“Our recent Pan Women of Faith/Pan African Women’s Ecumenical Empowerment Network conference reminded us that children and youth, like Pan African girls, still have the courage to be resilient and truth-tellers, just like in the Bible,” she said. “Advocacy with and for babies, children, mothers, fathers, and families is one of the ways we accept and renew our call to be divinely human through the eyes of faith.”

Dr. Walker-Smith added that churches supporting the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty “is all about the issue of injustice, life, and life more abundantly.”

“We are saying yes to the transition from fossil fuels to renewable life-giving energy.”

"There is a biblical mandate for us to be at the table": Faith leader on climate justice at COP30 (WCC interview, 20 November 2025)