As the global climate crisis continues to intensify, gender equality remains a critical yet often underexamined component of effective climate action. For this reason, out colleagues Eva Lia Colombo and Cléo Dorel-Watson, together with our members and partners Oxfam Novib, Milieudefensie, CARE Nederland, ActionAid Nederland, Mercy Corps, Simavi, and Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF),
participated in the climate negotiations in Bonn to deliver a clear
message: without gender equality, there can be no climate justice.
Gender Equality as a Prerequisite for Just and Effective Outcomes at Climate Summits
Investing
in women's rights and gender equality is essential for addressing the
interconnected climate and biodiversity crises effectively. Women, in
all their diversity, contribute through their expertise and their local and Indigenous knowledge to the conservation of biodiversity, the restoration of ecosystems, and
the development of effective climate solutions. Moreover, it is often
Indigenous women who lead resistance efforts against fossil fuel
projects and the
degradation of ecosystems. It is therefore of paramount importance that
their voices are heard in international fora such as climate summits.
Only when their priorities are meaningfully incorporated into political
decision-making processes can progress be made towards inclusive and effective international climate policy.
During a session organised by WO=MEN with the Dutch UNFCCC delegation, winners of the Gender-Just Climate Solutions Award, Anisa Abibulloeva from Tajikistan, Bhavya George from India, and Hira Amjad from Pakistan, shared how their gender-transformative climate initiatives make impactful contributions to addressing the climate crisis. Their accounts highlighted inspiring examples, including women in the mountainous regions of Tajikistan leading the transition to solar energy, as well as women in India who combine deeply rooted ancestral knowledge with modern scientific approaches to protect vulnerable ecosystems. These cases demonstrate that, while women are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, they are also indispensable agents in advancing its solutions.
