Transcript Joining the women of the world

Joining the women of the
world
Margaret Alston
Professor of Social Work
Director of GLASS
Monash University
GLASS
 The Gender, Leadership and Social
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Sustainability (GLASS) research unit
was established at Monash University
in 2008
Patron – Governor-General Quentin
Bryce
Monash and GLASS have provided a
vehicle to build this research
1 Senior Research Fellow, 2 PhD
scholarships
Additional research grants and PhD
students
 Research
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gender and CC
sex trafficking
Gender mainstreaming
Victorian Rural Women’s Network project
Gender and Climate Change Forum
 Funded by DAFF
 Builds on our research
 Leads to Copenhagen and beyond
Minister Burke’s message
 I understand that climate change can have disproportionate
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effects on women particularly in developing nations.
A global solution to climate change is critical and the Australian
government is committed to sustainable and effective
international policy relating to climate change.
The UN conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen
provides a critical opportunity to develop a new and effective
long-term approach to global cooperation.
If you wish to provide me with the results of your [forum],
the information can be made available to the Australian
delegation to inform their negotiations.
I would like to extend my congratulations on the development of
GLASS.
Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce’s
Message
 The Governor-General sends her best wishes
to all concerned for a most successful forum
Mary Robinson’s Message
 Many thanks for informing me of the very timely
National Forum on Women, Leadership and Climate
Change which GLASS is organising on November 10
in Melbourne.
 Unfortunately I have been and continue to be
travelling extensively since we met in Berlin and it is
not possible to send a video message. I would hope
that the voices of rural women in Australia will be
heard at the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen. If there
is a report you can send me, I would be happy to
make reference at some of the events I will be
attending.
Secretary General of the UN –
Ban Ki-moon Statement 24 Sept 2009
 Women are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate
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change. Many depend directly on the environment for their
livelihoods and sustenance. Women are also custodians of
community knowledge, with keen insights into how to
sustainably manage natural resources.
…the special perspectives of women is often overlooked in
global discussions of climate change. We must do more to give
greater say to women in addressing the climate challenge.
I urge member states to foster an environment where women
are key decision makers on climate change, and play an equally
central role in carrying out these decisions.
Women should be seen not as victims but as agents of
progress.
It is time to involve them as equal partners. When we do, the
whole world will benefit.
CEDAW 2009
 CEDAW expresses its concerns about the
absence of a gender perspective in the
United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change and other global and
national policies and initiatives on climate
change ….
Aspen Environment forum March
2009
 Women leaders statement calling for gender
equality in CC initiatives
 The challenges and hardships caused by CC
in both developed and developing countries
have both a disproportionate impact on
women and their ability to successfully adapt
to those challenges and to participate in
discussions crafting a new global agreement.
Liberia and Finland March 2009
 Call for action on gender and climate change
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 Create an enabling environment for the
participation of women in decision making on
climate change
 Encourage women’s participation in
mitigation and adaptation … by making
necessary resources and technology
available ..
Women’s activism
 Progress on the
incorporation of gender
concerns in
international
agreements on climate
change has been little
and slow (Hemmati
2008)
 Establishment of
GenderCC
 Global Gender and
Climate Alliance
GenderCC
 GenderCC – women for climate justice is the
global network of women and gender activists
and experts from all world regions working for
gender and climate justice.
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GenderCC offers its warm wishes and solidarity to the Rural Women’s Forum
On Climate Change of Australia at the opening of this important event to discuss
the situation of rural women and women farmers.
We offer again our warm congratulations for the organisation of this important
meeting and we offer you our support for the best outcomes possible in this
meeting and to those actions that this meeting will carry forward.
May you have every success in all your endeavours.
Anna Pinto, India, Gotelind Alber, Germany
On behalf of GenderCC – Women for Climate Justice
Global Gender and Climate Alliance
 United Nations Development Program
(UNDP)
 Women’s Environment and Development
Organisation (WEDO)
 United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
 The World conservation Union (IUCN)
Women of the world – UN Millenium
Development Goals
CC - Why gender?
 Women – 70% of
world’s poor
 Inequitable access to
land, credit, extension
and decision making
 Fuel and water supplies
for household
 Young girls dropping
out of school
 Women 14 x more likely to die during a
disaster (Neumayer and Pluemper 2007)
 1991 Bangladesh cyclone 140 000 dead –
90% women
 Male outmigration,greater economic security
post-disaster and slower recovery
 CSW 2008
 Climate Change does not affect women and
men in the same way
 Women contribute less to global warming yet
will be hit harder by its effects (GenderCC)
Benefits of including women
 Fairness and equity
 Capacity of women to
be change agents
 Knowledge of
agricultural production,
soils, seeds etc
 Adaptation and
mitigation strategies
COP
 Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Convention on Climate Change
 Copenhagen is COP 15
Meetings leading to COP 15
Our forum
 join the women of the world?
 Engage in CC debate
 Discuss GLASS statement and add actions
 Send to Minister for distribution to
Copenhagen delegation
Women, Leadership and Climate Change National Forum
Melbourne November 2009 - GLASS Statement
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The Women, Leadership and Climate Change forum was convened in Melbourne in November 2009 by the
Gender Leadership and Social Sustainability (GLASS) research unit at Monash University in partnership
with the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
The forum focussed on the impact of climate change on the daily lives of Australia’s rural (including remote
and Indigenous) women and on women’s own possibilities to participate in mitigating and adapting to
climate change. It linked these considerations to both the Australian policy context and international
mechanisms and the momentum building around a new climate change agreement in Copenhagen in
December 2009. It called for women’s participation in these negotiations and for the incorporation of gender
considerations in any new agreements.
The forum discussed this GLASS statement and developed actions.
GLASS Statement
This forum provides space for us, as Australian rural women, to reflect and consider our role in climate
change and its daily impact on us, our families and our communities and to articulate the potential of rural
women to participate in local, regional, national and international dialogue, decision making and solutions.
We recognise that the challenges and hardships caused by climate change in both developed and
developing countries have a proven disproportionate impact on women and their ability to successfully
adapt to those challenges and to participate in discussions. We recognise it undermines our ability to
achieve our full potential.
We also recognise that women have the skills, knowledge and capacity to adapt to climate change and can
be powerful actors in designing and enabling climate solutions through advocacy and action. We can play a
central role in changing the consumption and production patterns to sustainable levels through awareness
raising, information sharing and using traditional knowledge. We recognise that strengthening women’s
networks is important to achieving these goals.
We believe that women’s leadership and participation in decision making at all levels is critical for effective
environmental governance.
We are committed to strengthening and mobilising our collective leadership to address climate change
issues in Australia and to link with women and men around the world to share successes and develop
sustainable solutions.