12-10-2023The climate crisis does not affect everyone in the same way. Women and girls in all their diversity, as well as indigenous peoples, youth and other marginalised groups, especially in the Global South, are disproportionately affected by climate change. For these groups in particular, equitable climate policies are urgently needed. In the run-up to the conclusions of the EU COP28 position on October 16-17 and the subsequent negotiations during the COP-28 in Dubai in November, WO=MEN, and fifteen other civil society organisations, wrote a position paper for this purpose with concrete recommendations for the Dutch government.
Gender as a cross-cutting theme in climate negotiations
Because women and girls in all their diversity have a key position in a wide range of activities that support biodiversity and adaptation to climate change, such as soil and water management, afforestation, and safeguarding variation within cultivated crops, it is important that women-led, feminist and women's organisations are meaningfully involved during decision-making processes and that they have access to climate finance.
In line with Feminist Foreign Policy, we call on the Dutch government to make gender equality a priority and therefore put it at the heart of all COP28 negotiations. Whether this concerns climate finance, damage and loss, adaptation or mitigation.
