Human Rights of Women
Source: Gender Links
At a CSW59 session on climate justice and gender equality held yesterday at the United Nations, delegates discussed the ongoing need for gender responsive and people-centered climate agreement to be mainstreamed in COP21 and the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals.
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and now UN Special Envoy on Climate Change spoke at the meeting urging people to take a powerful stand on issue saying, "Climate change is the most serious human rights issue of the century and we are the last generation able to do something about it."
Climate change is happening fast. Africa is already feeling the negative effects, yet this continent is the least responsible for it. Gender inequality and climate change not only leave women to bear a double injustice, but women face the treble injustice of struggling against gender blind climate change instruments since they are largely excluded from climate change negotiations.
In 2012, in response to this fundamental link between climate and gender justice, the SADC Gender Protocol Alliance embarked on a regional campaign to lobby for the adoption of an Addendum to the SADC Gender Protocol to address climate change, sustainable development and gender equality. The Alliance collected 1027 signatures from SADC countries in favour of the draft Addendum on Gender and Climate change. However, like the Millennium Development Goals, the SADC Gender Protocol expires at the end of this year, offering a better opportunity for the Alliance to ensure climate change and justice is included in the post 2015 SADC Gender Protocol review.
Lucia Makamure, Gender Links Senior Programme officer for the Alliance said that the post 2015 Protocol, currently being discussed by civil society, will make stronger provisions on climate change and women's rights. "The next developmental agenda focuses on sustainable development, and so we must prioritise a holistic approach to gender equality. Gender responsive climate justice must be a part of this approach."
Virginia Muwanigwa- member of the Alliance and chairperson of the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe, echoed these concerns saying, "Effects of climate change may be seen only as physical, but there are hidden complex social, economic and political issues that need to be taken into consideration in policy and practice review of the post 2015 strategy."
Listen to Mary Robinson's full speech here.
This podcast is part of the Gender Links News Service special coverage of CSW59 currently underway at the UN headquarters in New York, bringing you fresh views on everyday news.