History

The network GenderCC - Women for Climate Justice began to take shape at COP9 in Milan (2003), when a small group of organisations (LIFE, ENERGIA, and WECF) hosted an informal meeting to discuss whether the issue of 'gender' should be given more attention at the climate change negotiations.

There was a strong sense that further networking and collaboration was needed. Subsequently, the web platform "genCC" was created in order to facilitate cooperation and to introduce the issue to a broader audience. This site is no longer available, yet it has been replaced by a variety of new information sources, including our current website and the GenderCC Global Learning Platform. 

Following this inital surge of interest, there have been regular side events and meetings at the COPs, accompanied by the expansion of the network and a proliferation of the issues surrounding gender and climate change. A milestone was reached at COP13 in Bali when the network published several position papers articulating the women’s and gender perspectives on the most pressing issues under negotiation. They were met with interest, increasing awareness, and a growing expression of commitment to gender justice from a number of stakeholders.

Since the formal formation of the GenderCC network in 2008, the gender and climate change community has been growing steadily. GenderCC remains one of the largest membership-based organisations working in this field.

In 2010, an independent branch was created in South Africa. GenderCC Southern Africa now has 6 staff members and a range of projects in the region.