Gender
issues and climate change
For the first time in the history of
the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, a world wide
coalition of women drafted position papers with the women’s and
gender perspective on the most pressing issues negotiated at this
Convention that took place in Bali, Indonesia from 3 to 14 December.
Gender and Climate Change (gender cc), a global alliance of women
for climate justice, presented their position papers at a press
conference during the Convention and distributed hundreds of copies
to government delegates.
One of the key issues stated in those
papers is that "Women are the most affected by climate change,
but they are also key catalysts for positive change. Their knowledge
and experience is fundamental for a successful mitigation of climate
change, as well as for climate change adaptation".
They demanded "a future climate
regime designed in a framework of gender equality and sustainability
guidelines, instead of being driven by dominant economic factors.
To mitigate climate change, the root causes must be addressed
more fundamentally".
They also demanded the "acknowledgement
of the contribution of women to forest conservation. Women should
be included in any forest protection mechanism, measures and compensation
schemes. Carbon trading, large hydro-projects and expansion of
agro-fuels are not the solution for climate change but rather
increase deforestation".
Ulrike Roehr, acting coordinator of
the gender cc network stated: “We need to question the dominant
perspective focusing mainly on technologies and markets, and put
caring and justice in the centre of the measures and mechanisms.”
Roehr stressed that “The lack of gender perspectives in the current
climate process not only violates women’s human rights -fundamental
principles agreed on by the UN community- but it also leads to
shortcomings in the efficiency and effectiveness of climate related
measures and instruments.”
On the last day of the Conference, the
gender cc network presented a strong Submission to the Plenary
stating: "We urge you, our governments, to ensure drastic
emission cuts at source. You have the power to do this here and
now. People threatened by climate change cannot wait.”
At the same time, in a joint declaration
with MADRE (see
http://www.wrm.org.uy/actors/CCC/Bali/Women_Agrofuels.pdf
), both gender organisations rejected agrofuels as a valid
way of reducing carbon emissions, and urged all parties and stakeholders
to support, among other things, the call of the UN Special Rapporteur
on the Right to Food, Jean Ziegler, for a five-year moratorium
on agrofuel development, which increasingly occupies agriculture
lands thus aggravating world hunger.
For more information of the gender cc
network contact: Ulrike Roehr, gender cc -women for climate justice,
roehr@life-online.de,
www.gendercc.net
