Bangkok, Thailand- WEDO team members are now on their way to Bangkok to attend the first UNFCCC Intersessional of 2011, from April 3-8. WEDO remains committed to its goal to ensure that any agreement for the post 2012 regime on climate change is gender sensitive, and in 2011, we will continue our work coordinating the GGCA advocacy team, administering the Women Delegates Fund, and engaging as an active member of the Women and Gender Consitutency at the UNFCCC.
In Bangkok, the meeting is expected to be an agenda-setting, with Parties now focused on the implementation of the Cancun Agreements, decided in COP16 last year. The final decisions from Cancun are now posted on the UNFCCC website. To view all of the decisions you can visit a new portal that has been created here: http://cancun.unfccc.int. All of the Cancun agreements can be found here: http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_16/items/5571.php. WEDO has put together compilations on references to women and gender in the AWG-LCA, SBI and SBSTA.
GGCA Advocacy Team
The primary focus of the advocacy team in 2011 will be the AWG-LCA with the view to support full implementation of decisions taken at the COP-16 in relation to gender. Although focused on LCA, the team will, as previously done, continue to observe the progress made by the AWG-KP, especially on emissions reduction commitments and legal nature of the outcome of both AWGs, and when appropriate, progress in the subsidiary bodies. Specific areas of focus will include climate finance and the design of the Green Fund, the Adaptation Framework, and REDD+.
Earlier this year Parties had the opportunity to submit their input regarding the Adaptation Framework. Of the 34 countries that submitted inputs, 11 countries submitted women and gender texts culminating in a total of 16 references to women and gender in country submissions. Click here for a compilation of these submissions. The Secretariat recently released a synthesis document for the Adaptation Framework; within this document there are three references to gender not only referring to the need for gender balance, but also gender expertise and working with groups focused on gender issues outside of the Convention. Click here for a compilation of women and gender texts from the synthesis document.
Women Delegates Fund
In 2011, WEDO will also continue to administer the Women Delegates Fund (WDF) as a GGCA project on behalf of UNDP, with travel funding from the Government of Finland. Last year, the program of capacity building and knowledge sharing reached a new level of effectiveness which we look forward to continuning this year, along with more opportunities for networking and showcasing the WDF model.
For Bangkok, the WDF is supporting 5 women to attend the meetings as part of their national delegations. Meetings with the Delegates will occur each day with specific capacity building planned in coordination with the UNFCCC Secretariat on the Nairobi Work Programme, Least Developed Country Expert Group work, and Article 6- New Dehli Work Programme. The Delegates will also be sharing daily updates and information with the WDF Network, including all previously funded Delegates.
Women and Gender Constituency
The Women and Gender Constituency will meet daily in Bangkok and is working to prepare interventions for both the LCA and KP. The Constituency will also attend a briefing with Ms. Christiana Figueres on Wednesday.
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