GenderCC Newsletter

News from GenderCC

GenderCC contributes to the European Development Days

GenderCC took part in this year's European Development Days on 5th and 6th June in Brussels, Belgium. This year, the event focused on the empowerment of women and girls in the Agenda 2030. Sharmind Neelormi from GenderCC's Steering Committee was invited to speak on a panel titled "Stronger Women for a better Climate". GenderCC furthermore co-hosted an info booth together with CARE International, CIDSE, WWF, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and ACT Alliance under the slogan "Step Up to 1.5C: Paris and the SDGs". A joint press release published by these organisations is available here.

Gender @ UNFCCC

GenderCC at the SB48 climate talks

2018 is crucial for the UNFCCC in terms of defining the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement that will shape international climate policies for decades to come. The SB48 sessions in May laid the ground for a work program that is to be adopted at COP24 in Katowice, Poland in December. GenderCC attended the SB48 meeting to advocate for the integration of gender equality throughout all negotiation issues and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. For gender advocates, the SB48 sessions were of particular interest due to several in-session events on gender and climate change mandated under the Lima Work Programme and the recently adopted Gender Action Plan. The first part of a Gender Workshop requested by the Gender Action Plan focused on sex-disaggregated data and the analysis of gender differentiated impacts of climate change as well as on tools and methodologies to support the integration of gender into climate policies. In the course of this workshop, GenderCC's Gotelind Alber presented the Gender Assessment and Monitoring of Mitigation and Adaptation policies (GAMMA), a methodology developed as part of the GUCCI project. This methodology supports decision-makers and planners to develop and implement gender-responsive climate policies on national and sub-national levels. The second part of the Gender Workshop addressed ways for enhancing the equal participation of women in national delegations and the various bodies of the UNFCCC. Additionally, a Gender Dialogue was held that invited the chairs of the UNFCCC constituted bodies to discuss their efforts to achieve gender balance and to integrate gender aspects in their work. GenderCC hosted a side event during the SB48 meeting titled "New approaches to gender analysis to support gender responsive national climate policy". The event presented the findings of an ongoing research project that GenderCC is currently conducting in partnership with the Wuppertal Institute and the Insitute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) on behalf of the German Environment Agency. The project aims at developing new approaches to gendering climate policy-making in Germany. In particular the Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) and its application to climate policies in industrialised countries was presented as a fruitful instrument for advancing the consideration of gender aspects when planning for climate action. The findings of the project will be applicable also to other industrialised countries. The nexus of gender and climate change is not only relevant in developing countries, but of high relevance also in developed countries as GenderCC was able to show in an extensive literature review published earlier this year in the course of the same project.

The Not without us! team continues its work in the UNFCCC process

Also the team of GenderCC's Not without us! project participated in the SB48 climate talks. The project supports three female activists and gender experts from environmental groups and women’s organisations from South Africa, Indonesia and Ecuador in their attempts to connect local struggles for climate and gender justice with the international climate negotiations. Prior to the SB48 meeting, the project participants hosted a webinar that provided background information on the Gender Action Plan and the current state of the implementation of REDD+ in Indonesia and Ecuador and the negotiations on agriculture and their implications for rural women in South Africa. In preparation for SB48 the team furthermore hosted a workshop to discuss gender entry points in the different agenda items of the Subsidiary Bodies and the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement. During the climate talks the team contributed to the joint work of the Women and Gender Constituency and the Human Rights Working Group which is advocating for a strong link of the Paris Work Programme to human rights including rights of indigenous people and local communities, public participation, ecological integrity and biodiversity, food security, intergenerational equity, just transition and gender equality. In the months to come, the participants will develop advocacy strategies for their specific topics of interest to guide their work during the upcoming negotiations.

Joint statement on the outcomes of SB48 by the Women and Gender Constituency

The Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), the observer group of all women and gender non-governmental organisations involved in the UNFCCC process, has released a joint statement on the outcomes of the SB48 meeting. It explains in depth the results of the negotiations on issues such as the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform, the Talanoa Dialogue and the state of implementation of the Gender Action Plan. The WGC strongly opposes a bill adopted by the Polish government prior to COP24 which will restrict the right of free assembly and give the Polish authorities access to extensive private data of all COP24 participants. You can read the statement here. 

Road to COP24 in Katowice

As the pace of the negotiations at the SB48 meeting in Bonn was very slow, the session was suspended and will be continued in Bangkok, Thailand from 4th to 9th September. Civil society organisations hope that Parties will finally agree on a draft text for the Paris Agreement's Work Programme in Bangkok in order to justify the costs and emissions of this additional meeting and to allow for substantial progress ahead of COP24 in Katowice. The participation in additional meeting means in particular a challenge for participation for small states, least developed countries and also observers. GenderCC will be represented at the meeting in Bangkok, Thailand and we will share information with you on our website.

New WEDO report on sustainable urban mobility

The Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) has published a new report on sustainable urban mobility with a gender equality lens. It explores the impacts of transport systems on gender equality and offers useful recommendations on how to improve access for women. It is part of the "ACCESS FOR ALL SERIES: Policies for Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development" published by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). The report is available here.

Webinar: The Gender Action Plan (GAP) from a Reproductive Health Perspective

The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) hosted a webinar focusing on the role of health and gender in the UNFCCC negotiations and the links between sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), family planning, and climate adaptation. Facilitated by PRB policy analyst Laura Cooper Hall, the webinar included guest speakers from the Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO), Sex & Samfund – The Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA), and the PHE Ethiopia Consortium (Population Health Environment). The webinar on the crucial role of SRHR in times of climate change is available online here.

Podcast: Environment rights are at the core of women's rights

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) released a podcast on environmental rights and the impacts of climate change on women. It stresses the importance of the right to a safe and healthy environment as one of the core human rights. You can listen to the full conversation between APWLD regional coordinator Misun Woo and Citizen News Service (CNS) managing editor Shobha Shukla here.

GenderCC member attends the 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Guest contribution by Mariam Diallo Dramé, the Association of Women's Leadership and Sustainable Development (AFLED)
Mariam Diallo Dramé, president of the Association of Women's Leadership and Sustainable Development (AFLED) from Mali, attended the 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March at the United Nations in New York on behalf of GenderCC. This year, rural women were at the heart of the conference. Mariam spoke on two panels on early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) hosted by Wildaf and La Francophonie and another penal on rural girls and climate change. During these events Mariam spoke about challenges, climate justice and how to involve women and girls in adaptation and resilience. She also raised the issue of valuing traditional knowledge. Additionally, she participated in the youth forum that had several themes with working groups on gender based violence including FGM. She also gave a speech in the presence of the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, on the severe challenges of gender based violence and the slow implementation of the Peace Agreement in Mali. The UN Women's Executive Director and the First Lady of Burkina Faso organised a panel on harmful traditional practices where Mariam showcased her organisation's Girl Generation's work and approaches from the field. The agreed conclusion "Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls" of the 62nd Session of the Commission the Status of Women is available here.

Women Mobilize Women – Transforming mobility through female empowerment

The first Women Mobilize Women Conference took place on 22nd May in Leipzig, Germany. It brought together 200 participants from 42 countries. Many of them pointed out a novelty in the transport sector: All of the 18 panelists were female! The conference was part of the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) that aims at enabling leaders in developing countries and emerging economies to create sustainable urban mobility by offering technical and financial support. TUMI was launched by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and includes partners such as ADB, CAF, WRI, ITDP, UN-Habitat, SLoCaT, ICLEI, GIZ, KfW and C40. A comprehensive report on the conference including videos of each of the penal discussions and presentations are available here. 

Who is Who at GenderCC

Interview with GenderCC's new member Thamarlie Joachin

Thamarlie Joachin joined GenderCC as an individual member in May 2018. She is the Gender Commission Delegate & Human Resources Director for the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) in Hait. Thamarlie was also featured in GenderCC's Members Monday. Take a look here. In what way does the Caribbean Youth Environment Network work address the nexus of gender and climate change? Thamarlie: Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty. Women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes and labour markets compound inequalities and often prevent women from fully contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and implementation. Yet, women can (and do) play a critical role in responses to climate change due to their local knowledge of and leadership in e.g. sustainable resource management and/or because they are leading sustainable practices at the household and community level. Women's participation at the political level has resulted in greater responsiveness to citizens’ needs, often increasing cooperation across party and ethnic lines and delivering more sustainable peace. At the local level, women’s inclusion as leaders has led to improved outcomes of climate related projects and policies. What does your position as CYEN's Gender Commission Delegate imply? Thamarlie: My position as CYEN Gender Commission Delegate specifically implies to avail myself to the development of an action plan to ensure that gender issues are mainstreamed in all CYEN activities. I also follow development and debates on gender policies to signal significant happenings or changes to the organisation. I also update and make recommendations to CYEN's Office Executive Coordinator on matters related to gender and contribute to the development of primary and secondary research on matters related to youth empowerment, gender equality and environmental protection. Finally, I represent CYEN in local, regional and international fora. What motivated you to join GenderCC - Women for Climate Justice? Thamarlie: Gender bias is still embedded in my culture, economy and social institutions. The similarities and differences are not recognized. Women are more vulnerable, but they also have perspectives and power for change. Being part of GenderCC will help me as a woman to fight for our rights and to fight climate change. I am an Haitian Woman, my country doesn't promote the participation of youth in this field. Becoming a members of GenderCC is an opportunity for me to make my voice heard.

Publications

Routledge Handbook of Human Rights and Climate Governance Sébastien Duyck, Sébastien Jodoin and Alyssa Johl (eds.) (2018) Over the last decade, the world has increasingly grappled with the complex linkages emerging between efforts to combat climate change and to protect human rights around the world. The Paris Climate Agreement adopted in December 2015 recognised the necessity for governments to take into consideration their human rights obligations when taking climate action. However, important gaps remain in understanding how human rights can be used in practice to develop and implement effective and equitable solutions to climate change at multiple levels of governance. This book brings together leading scholars and practitioners to offer a timely and comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and challenges for integrating human rights in diverse areas and forms of global climate governance. The first half of the book explores how human rights principles and obligations can be used to reconceive climate governance and shape responses to particular aspects of climate change. The second half of the book identifies lessons in the integration of human rights in climate advocacy and governance and sets out future directions in this burgeoning domain. Among others, it includes a chapter on the rise of gender equality in the global climate governance and climate action by Anne Barre, Irene Dankelman, Anke Stock, Eleanor Blomstrom and Bridget Burns. More Vulnerability in the making? How intersectionality and masculinity theory can bring light to climate injustice in urban climate policy Angelica Wågström (2018), GenderCC intern in 2016 This paper, published in Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Equality and Diversity 4(1), focuses on urban climate policy, drawing on poststructural feminist theories, examining whether an awareness of intersectionality and norms of masculinity can improve urban climate policy in terms of climate justice. Research on intersectionality and masculinity in relation to climate change as well as climate policy is reviewed, followed by an analysis of climate change related policies in Helsinki in Finland and Johannesburg in South Africa. The focus of the analysis is on gender, but other social lenses are also identified. While neither of the cities' climate policies explicitly includes gender, Johannesburg has a (very low) acknowledgement of intersecting social issues in which the factors ethnicity, poverty and age are most present. Strategies mentioned both within reviewed research as well as the policies of analysis can be explained by the so called ecomodern masculinity that is dominating in climate policy-making today. All in all, the paper aligns with literature arguing that there is a lack of gender-awareness in urban climate policy, risking to accelerate climate injustice. The paper concludes that an awareness of norms of masculinity as well as intersecting social structures of domination is a first step to designing urban climate policies that contribute to climate justice. More Linking Gender to Climate Change Impacts in the Global South Sen Roy, Shouraseni (2018) This interdisciplinary book assesses the spatial patterns of climate change and gender inequalities across the Global South. It incorporates case studies from various regions and covers various the issues including health, water and food security, education, conflicts, migration, participation in decision-making processes, and changing urban social landscapes. It discusses policy initiatives and makes recommendations to some of the gender mainstreaming through empowerment and participation. More Approaches for gender responsive urban mobility Allen, Heather (2018) This publication discusses how transport policy makers and planners can deal with gender issues and why they should integrate a gender perspective in their work. It summarises the shortcomings of current transport systems in relation to gender and provides best practice examples as well as tools for practitioners. The publication provides an introduction for newcomers and gives an overview touching the dimensions of equal participation in decision-making, accessibility, safety and comfort of transport modes and gender differentiated needs. More

9-19 July, 2018, New York, NY: High-level Political Forum 2018 The High-level Political Forum is the United Nations central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. This year's theme is "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies". The HLPF will also review progress towards the SDGS. More 23 August, 2018, Berlin, Germany: GenderCC 10 year anniversary GenderCC is happy to invite members and friends to celebrate our 10 year anniversary with us! More 4-9 September, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand: Bangkok Climate Change Conference The resumed forty-eighth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 48-2) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 48-2) as well as the sixth part of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-6) will take place at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Bangkok. More 8 September, 2018, worldwide: Rise for Climate Action Day In city streets, town squares and capital buildings across the world, people will rise up to demand politicians stand with their communities and deliver more than just words. On September 8, on the occasion of the Global Climate Action Summit in California, thousands of rallies are planned in cities and towns around the world to demand local leaders to commit to building a fossil free world that works for all of us. No more stalling, no more delays: it's time for 100% renewable energy for all. More 11 September, 2018, San Francisco, CA: Women's Assembly for Climate Justice: Women Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change The forum is organised by the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) and takes place the day before the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) in California. International advocates, grassroots, indigenous, and frontline women leaders, and policy-makers will discuss topics including the intersectionality of gender and environment, indigenous rights, just transition, women and forest protection and regeneration, resistance against fossil fuel extraction, environmental racism and women's leadership. A list of key calls to action from the forum will be presented to the leadership of the GCAS the following day. More 12-14 September, 2018; San Francisco, CA: Global Climate Action Summit The Global Climate Action Summit aims at bringing together various stakeholders of the climate change sphere from around the world to "take ambition to the next level". It will be possible to attend virtually through live streams on YouTube, facebook and twitter. The physical attendance requires accreditation. More