Deputy Minister Letsike Warns Exclusion Threatens SDGs at Ottawa Civic Space Summit

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, has issued a strong warning that the world risks failing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa's Agenda 2063 if systemic exclusion continues to marginalise vulnerable communities.

Speaking at the Pride Caucus Breakfast during the 2026 Ottawa Civic Space Summit in Canada, Letsike delivered a powerful call for governments, institutions, and global partners to move beyond rhetoric and embed inclusion as a core pillar of development.

"We cannot meaningfully speak about achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, or realising the aspirations of Agenda 2063, while entire groups of people remain excluded from the very systems that are meant to support them," she said.

Global Summit Focuses on Defending Civic Freedoms

The Ottawa Civic Space Summit, held from 21 to 23 April 2026, has brought together a wide coalition of stakeholders, including governments, civil society organisations, academia, donors, media, and the private sector. The discussions centre on safeguarding civic freedoms, strengthening democratic participation, and advancing inclusive development in a time marked by global instability and democratic strain.

Letsike is representing South Africa at the high-level gathering and contributing to a key plenary session titled "Defend What Makes Democracy Possible: Civic Space in a Time of Rupture."

The summit is examining the critical role of civic space in advancing human rights, gender equality, climate action, education, and humanitarian responses—areas directly linked to the SDGs.

Inclusion Must Be Lived, Not Promised

Grounding her address in real-life experience, Letsike shared a deeply personal account of a young transgender individual in a South African township clinic who was denied access to healthcare due to prejudice. The incident, she said, reflects how exclusion often operates quietly yet has devastating consequences.

"That is what shrinking civic space looks like in real life. It is not always loud or visible, but it carries an exclusionary message that is unmistakable: you do not belong here," she said.

Her remarks underscored the urgent need to translate policy commitments into tangible change on the ground, particularly for marginalised communities who continue to face discrimination in essential services.

From Apartheid Legacy to Pride and Belonging

Drawing on South Africa's historical context, Letsike highlighted Vilakazi Street in Soweto as a symbol of transformation—from a site of apartheid-era oppression to a modern space of visibility and affirmation through events such as Soweto Pride.

She described these gatherings not merely as celebrations, but as acts of reclaiming identity and dignity.

"When people march, gather, and take up space in that way, they are not asking to be included; they are asserting something that should never have been denied in the first place," she said.

Rising Global Pressures on Civic Space

Letsike cautioned that despite progress in visibility for marginalised groups, civic space is increasingly under threat worldwide. Rights once considered secure are now being contested, and identity issues are being politicised.

"This is not only about gender or sexuality, but also about something much broader that goes to the heart of democratic life," she said, warning that exclusionary practices can expand and destabilise societies.

She linked these challenges to broader global trends, including rising inequality, armed conflict, and climate change, all of which disproportionately affect already vulnerable populations.

Call for Investment and Shared Responsibility

While acknowledging Canada's support for human rights and civil society initiatives, Letsike stressed that the responsibility for inclusion cannot rest solely on civil society organisations.

"Inclusion cannot be treated as an optional add-on to development—it is central to it," she said.

She called for increased and more flexible funding for grassroots organisations, particularly those led by women, youth, and LGBTQIA+ communities, many of which remain under-resourced despite their frontline role in advancing social justice.

"Our investment must be flexible, responsive, and allow these organisations not only to survive, but to lead, innovate, and shape the futures we are all speaking about," she added.

Reframing African Values and Inclusion

Addressing narratives that portray gender and LGBTQIA+ rights as incompatible with African culture, Letsike challenged these claims as historically and culturally incomplete, often rooted in colonial legacies.

She emphasised that core African values such as ubuntu, dignity, and community inherently support inclusion rather than exclusion.

"When we return to the core of African values… we do not find exclusion, but connection, and a recognition that our humanity is bound up with one another," she said.

A Defining Moment for Global Development

Letsike's address positions inclusion as a decisive factor in determining whether global development frameworks can succeed. As countries approach the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, her message signals a growing urgency to address structural inequalities and ensure that no group is left behind.

Her remarks at the Ottawa summit reinforce South Africa's commitment to advancing inclusive democracy and highlight the need for coordinated global action to protect civic space and uphold human dignity.