in Geneva
This will be a hybrid event: Join us in person at the Palais des Nations, Geneva (Conference Room XXVI), or Register to join us online
Programme:
Opening remarks:
- H.E. Katharina Stasch, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations in Geneva: Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.
- H.E. Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva: Realizing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
- Ms. Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - Video Message
Panel: Human-centred stories from the ground
- Mr. David. R. Boyd, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and the Environment.
- Ms. Vasiti Soko, Director of National Disaster Management Office, Fiji: Fostering Climate Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Pacific.
- Ms. Susan Grey, Executive Director, FemLINKPacific: Empowering women’s organizations in disaster preparedness, response and recovery and to respond to climate impacts.
Moderated by: Adriana Quiñones, Director, UN Women Geneva Liaison Office
Facilitated Discussion:
- Participants will be invited to intervene from the floor to share their experiences and best practices in terms of building synergies between the protection of human rights and the protection of the environment, and in terms of integrating a gender perspective into climate change, environmental protection, resilience to disasters and disaster risk reduction policies, programmes and projects.
Background:
Advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century. Climate change, environmental degradation and disasters have had, and will continue to have, severe and lasting impacts on our economic and social development. Those who are amongst those in the most vulnerable and marginalized situations experience the deepest impacts. Women are increasingly being recognized as in more vulnerable situations than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more directly dependent upon natural resources.
At the same time, women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers, and their participation and leadership results in more effective action towards sustainability, climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience, and disaster risk reduction. Continuing to examine the opportunities, as well as the constraints, to empower women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to sustainability, climate change and disaster risk reduction is essential for sustainable development and greater gender equality.
With this in mind, the theme for International Women’s Day in 2022 is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all. The theme is aligned with the upcoming 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) is “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”.
Acknowledging the importance of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as critical to the enjoyment of all human rights, in 2021, through the adoption of Resolution 48/13, the Human Rights Council recognized, for the first time, the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The resolution underlined that the most vulnerable segments of the population are more acutely impacted, including women and girls. The Resolution encourages States to build capacities, share good practices and adopt policies relating to the enjoyment of a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, building synergies between the protection of human rights and the protection of the environment. Action is now required to ensure this resolution serves as a springboard for transformative economic, social and environmental policies that will protect people and nature.
Objectives:
This dialogue, organized on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, will bring together different stakeholders to examine the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment from a gender and human rights perspective, highlighting the real impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and disasters on women and girls, before exploring concrete areas for action and hearing best practices and lessons learned from concrete programmes and projects on the ground, including the Women’s Resilience to Disasters Programme.