Gender Equality Today For A Sustainable Tomorrow

09.03.2022

Kristina Yildiz

Women’s Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence.

Yesterday the whole world was observing International Women’s Day which was themed “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. Various human rights organisations held events dedicated to this topic and the United Nations, of course, was not an exception.

The speakers of this year’s event included the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. António Guterres, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Ms. Amina J. Mohammad, Executive Director of UN Women Ms. Sima Bahous and other distinguished leaders who fight for gender equality and our planet on the front lines. 

Throughout the addresses it was repeated that climate change is not a gender neutral crisis. However, it was pointed out that even though climate change can multiply the threats, young women can multiply solutions. The role of indigenous women was especially highlighted. According to Ms. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, president of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad, indigenous women have been fighting climate change on the ground while men have been talking about what could be done. The world needs intergenerational knowledge and skills of indigenous women.

When concluding the event, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Ms. Amina J. Mohammad shared 5 steps that should be taken urgently:

• Increase investments in gender responsive climate solutions that recognize the needs of women and girls
• Build the resilience of women and girls to limit impacts and disaster risks, including by repealing laws that prevent them from owning and inheriting land
• Enable and allow women and girls to lead in designing climate initiatives 
• Integrate comprehensive programs on gender-based violence into climate responses
• Ensure that climate change discussions are rooted in the experience and perspectives of women and girls from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Sources and further reading: 

United Nations. (2022, March 9). Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow - UN Observance of International Women’s Day 2022 | UN Web TV. UN Web TV. https://media.un.org/en/asset/k13/k138j2xeps