by Bridget Burns, Executive Director, WEDO
Not that Paris – the other one.
I am not referencing the birthplace of the Paris Agreement at COP21, but instead the 31 countries that recently signed the Paris Joint Political Declaration on Achieving Gender Equality, Promoting the Human Rights of All Women and Girls, and Strengthening a Feminist Approach to Foreign Policy.
That Declaration sent a powerful signal: that despite the global anti-rights backlash, these governments remain committed to advancing gender equality, upholding human rights, and centering feminist values in diplomacy.
As we head toward COP30 in Belém, Brazil, that same leadership is urgently needed in the climate negotiations. Gender equality isn’t an add-on to climate action, it’s foundational to achieving it. It’s already embedded in the Paris Agreement and reaffirmed through the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender.
Now, governments must turn those words into measurable action through a renewed Gender Action Plan (GAP).
We call on the 31 Paris Declaration signatories to bring their feminist leadership to Belém:
- Hold the line against any attempts to weaken or roll back agreed language on gender equality, human rights, or women’s participation.
- Champion a forward-looking GAP that addresses today’s realities, from gender-based violence to health, care, and just transition.
- Reaffirm collective commitment to gender equality and human rights as cornerstones of effective climate action.
Let’s ensure the Gender Action Plan moves from words to real-world impact, advancing gender equality, protecting those most at risk, and building the feminist future we all need.
