After months of collaborative research and outreach by members of the global and regional NGO Committees on the Status of Women: New York, Geneva, Vienna, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, and MENA, we have identified critical concerns for “the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.”
The following letter with 6 Key Recommendations on behalf of women and girls in all their diversity were sent to the UN Secretary General, UN Women, the CSW Bureau, and other receptive member states for inclusion in the CSW66 Zero Draft.
CSW66 Recommendations for the Zero Draft NGO CSW Advocacy Research Group 3 December 2021
We respectfully submit the following Recommendations on behalf of girls and women in all their diversity for inclusion in the CSW66 Zero Draft. After months of collaborative research and outreach by members of the global and regional NGO Committees on the Status of Women: New York, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Geneva, Latin America and Caribbean, MENA and Vienna, we have identified these as critical concerns for “the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.”
1. Investment in gender-responsive policies and programs that prioritize girls and women of all ages (including underrepresented, rural, Indigenous and people with disabilities) in decision-making, implementation and monitoring of mitigation and adaptation strategies at the local, community and national level.
2. Prioritization of knowledge management and strategies for disaster reduction and resilience that focus on the care, protection and support of girls and women who are dependent on natural resources for their well-being and livelihoods.
3. Collection of comprehensive data on displaced girls and women, disaggregated by birth and marriage documentation, to form evidence-based policies on climate-induced migration, as outlined in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly Migration.
4. Training for women in climate-resilient jobs, including food and water security, to transition to a carbon-free environment and education in schools on climate crisis mitigation and adaptation for a sustainable future.
5. Financial support for mitigation and adaptation to climate change for women in the Global South through dedicated funds, debt cancellation, grants instead of loans and 1 reparations from the Global North that privilege local ecosystems, Indigenous knowledge and youth leadership.
6. The elimination of legal barriers to women, including widows, concerning land ownership, resources and inheritance, to reduce the economic impacts of climate change on girls and women who suffer most from food and water insecurity.
We hope that identifying these representative global issues will assist you as you prepare for the CSW66 negotiations on the Zero Draft, which will be addressing the most significant challenges of our time.
