NEW YORK (May 13, 2013)— As part of ongoing collaboration with gender and climate change experts, Members States and the UNFCCC Secretariat, the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) is excited to host a discussion with UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres on implementing the COP18 Gender Decision and actions towards a gender-sensitive climate framework. Please see details below as well as further information on the COP18 Gender Decision.
The COP18 Gender Decision: Key Objectives and Entry Points
Why is a gender-sensitive approach part of the climate solution? What are the opportunities to contribute?
GGCA is pleased to host Ms. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC as we consider the importance, implementation and key entry points of the COP18 Gender Decision. Watch it Live!
When: Tuesday, May 14th at 10:00am EDT, 15:00 GMT
Where: #shesparks & @GGCA_Gender on Twitter
Who: YOU + UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres
What: Your chance to ask Ms. Christiana Figueres questions! Plus tell us:
- What does the UNFCCC Gender Decision mean for you?
- How does your country integrate gender into national climate strategies?
- What mechanisms or practices promote gender balance in your country?
How: Join the Twitter chat and use #shesparks. Be sure to follow @GGCA_Gender and @CFigueres!
To participate, simply log into Twitter and head to @GGCA_Gender to ask your question and engage in the dialogue. To ensure we don’t miss your contribution, please include the hashtag #shesparks in your tweet. Discussion highlights will be posted tohttp://www.gender-climate.org. Watch it live!
About the Gender Decision
Women are not only disproportionately impacted by climate change, but are uniquely positioned to drive positive actions towards climate solutions. With this in mind, the COP18 Gender Decision stands to strengthen greater participation of women in the UNFCCC processes, and promote women’s leadership in responding to climate change.
The final COP18 Gender Decision “Promoting gender balance and improving the participation of women in UNFCCC negotiations and in the representation of Parties in bodies established pursuant to the Convention or the Kyoto Protocol” reaffirms a COP decision taken over a decade ago. Despite the COP7 decision, participation of women in UNFCCC bodies and as Party delegates overall has remained low. The COP18 Gender Decision adds new provisions to increase women’s participation, striving toward gender balance on delegations, and giving more attention and resources toward the goal of gender balance.
The COP18 Gender Decision recognizes that gender balance is but a step towards gender equality, and a means to “improve women’s participation and inform more effective climate change policy” (para. 2). Furthermore, the UNFCCC Secretariat’s mandate to compile and report on sex-disaggregated data is driven by the importance of “tracking of progress made towards the goal of gender balance in advancing gender-sensitive climate policy” (para. 8). Building on the UNFCCC Secretariat’s data collection and dissemination mandate, the COP19 in-session workshop will address (1) “gender balance in the UNFCCC process,” (2) “gender-sensitive climate policy” and (3) “capacity-building activities to promote the greater participation of women in the UNFCCC process” (para. 10). The COP18 Gender Decision sets the stage to strengthen gender balance and women’s participation, while linking these pieces into the ultimate goals of gender equality and gender-responsive climate policy.
Resources
GGCA Gender Decision Working Group – Gender Decision Intro Note
- Gender and Climate Change
- Gender Decision, Full Text
- CDM and Women
- The Rio Conventions: Action on Gender
WEDO: Women’s Participation in the UNFCCC
EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality): Gender Equality and Climate Change
Decision of the European Parliament on Women and Climate Change
Gender-sensitive Parliaments: a global review of good practice
Climate Alliance Tool kit “Climate for Change: Gender Equality and Climate Policy”
Rosa Linda T. Miranda: Impact of Women’s Participation in Decision-making
