Gender in the Negotiations:where we are now

27 Sept 2009 – Bangkok – KP 9 & LCA 7

Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA)

•Launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali in December 2007

•Works to ensure that climate change policies, decision-making, and initiatives at the global, regional, and national levels are gender responsive

•13 UN agencies and 25 civil society organizations

GGCA Strategies

•Policy

•Finance

•Capacity Building

•Tools, Information and Methodologies

Connections between gender and environment / sustainable development are not newNearly every major global agreement includes a gender component:

United Nations Declaration on Human Rights (1948)Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women (CEDAW) (1979)Convention on Biodiversity (1992)

Chapter 24 of Agenda 21 (UNCED 1992)World Conference on Human Rights (1993)

International Conference on Population and Development (1994)Convention to Combat Desertification (1994)World Summit for Social Development (1995)

Beijing Platform for Action (1995)Millennium Declaration (2000)

Johannesburg Plan of Action (2002)Hyogo Framework for Action (2005)

ECOSOC Res. on Mainstreaming a Gender Perspective into all Policies and Programmes in the UN System (2005/31)

UN Convention on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)

Related language

UNCBD UNCCD

• “Encourage, subject to national legislation and consistent with the Convention on Biological Diversity, the effective protection and use of the knowledge, innovations and practices of women of indigenous and local communities……in addition, safeguard the existing intellectual property rights of these women as protected under national and international law; …and encourage fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge, innovation and practices.” “Recognizing also the vital role that women play in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and affirming the need for the full participation of women at all levels of policy-making and implementation for biological diversity conservation...” “the COP welcomes the development of a Gender Plan of Action under the CBD as presented in the document UNEP/CBD/COP/9/L.4 and invites parties to support the Secretariat in its implementation.”

• “Stressing the important role played by women in regions affected by desertification and/or drought, particularly in rural areas of developing countries, and the importance of ensuring the full participation of both men and women at all levels in programmes to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought” “promote awareness and facilitate the participation of local populations, particularly women and youth, with the support of non-governmental organizations, in efforts to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought” “provide for effective participation at the local, national and regional levels of non- governmental organizations and local populations, both women and men, particularly resource users, including farmers and pastoralists and their representative organizations, in policy planning, decision-making, and implementation and review of national action programmes”

Nine months ago vs. today

• In Poznan: No gender language in UNFCCC/ Kyoto Protocol

•Prior to Bangkok: 23 paragraphs on women and gender equality and equity in the AWG-LCA negotiating text (INF 2)

• In Bangkok: 11 paragraphs on women and gender equality and equity in the AWG-LCA Non-papers

UNFCCC•Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological

Advice (SBSTA)

•Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)

•Enhanced Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP)

•Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA)

Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA)

•Development and transfer of technologies

•Capacity building for developing countries

•Nairobi Work Programme on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability

Examples of text

• SBSTA– Switzerland on behalf of the EIG:

Submission on Views on Issues Relating to Indigenous People and Local Communities for the Development and Application of Methodologies

"In our view REDD schemes have to recognize and adhere to the principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In our perspective, REDD financial incentives will only dissuade forest owners from degrading and clearing forests if property rights, as well as the human, civil and political rights, including rights of indigenous peoples, women, communities and other possibly marginalized groups in forest areas are recognized."

Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)

•Financial mechanism

• Implementation

• LDC matters

•Capacity building for developing countries

•Development and transfer of technologies

Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA) •Shared vision for long-term cooperative action

•Enhanced action on mitigation

•Enhanced action on adaptation

•Enhanced action on technology development and transfer

•Enhanced action on the provision of financial resources and investment

Examples of submissions

•AWG-LCA (Shared Vision)

Czech Republic on behalf of the EU:

"shared vision statement should…incorporate gender considerations"

Examples of submissions

• AWG-LCA (Adaptation)

Algeria on behalf of the African Group:

"women and children are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change“

"Address the concerns of all vulnerable groups whose adaptive capacity is low, and in particularly gender and youth concerns, recognizing that women and children are particularly affected…"

Examples of submissions

•AWG-LCA (Adaptation)

Philippines:

"Gender sensitivity and responsiveness to the specific needs of women, children and the elderly"

Interventions during Bonn-III

•Umbrella Group: fostering participation of a wide range of stakeholders – particularly of women; responding to local needs and incorporating traditional knowledge alongside scientific data

•Bangladesh: gender equality a critical component, especially re: women’s role as food producers; house-hold level; incorporation of stakeholders

•Ghana: gender equality – both participation and differentiation of impacts – is part of social and economic conditions; must be part of all BAP areas

“Non-papers” texts include:

•Participation of stakeholders•Participation of women•Gender-balanced participation•Prioritization of vulnerable groups•Enhancing capacity of women to act/be agents for

change•Gender equality as part of social and economic

conditions

Priority issues:

•Gender equality

•Prioritization

•Participation

•Women as agents for change

•Data

We are here to support you

• Contact the GGCA Advocacy Team for more informationcate@wedo.orgnatalia@gender-climate.org

www.gender-climate.orgwww.wedo.orgwww.genderandenvironment.org