Nagoya, Japan — This week, representatives of over 190 signatories to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity have come together in Nagoya, Japan for the 10th meeting of the parties to the Convention, or COP10. The conference is set to forge a new agreement for the ten years to curb escalating biodiversity loss and potentially set aside vast amounts of the world’s land and marine areas as sanctuaries. On the table at CBD COP 10 are 20 targets designed to tackle the extinction crisis and restore the earth’s natural capital.

Read IUCN’s article in the lead up to the start of the conference– “‘Big Plan’ for nature needs big commitment”

WEDO’s Rachel Harris, IUCN, and other members of the GGCA (Global Gender and Climate Alliance) are at the CBD, coordinating the daily women and gender caucus and advocating for gender mainstreaming within all new agreements being put forward at COP10.

The Office of the Senior Global Gender Advisor at IUCN has been instrumental in implementing gender mainstreaming into the CBD and in 2010 they developed a set of guidelines, aimed to assist the development of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to meet the objectives of the Convention while simultaneously promoting gender equality. These guidelines can be found here, http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-49-en.pdf

On Friday October 22, 2010, a side event will be held entitled “GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN THE THREE RIO CONVENTIONS: PROMOTING SYNERGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”. This side event will present gender mainstreaming in the three Rio Conventions, including an analysis of gaps and challenges for better coordination between the three conventions.

Follow the latest news and updates from COP10 here