Call for Gender Integration into Climate Change Agenda

Regional Ministerial Meeting Calls for Gender Integration into Climate Change Agenda

Nadir, Fiji Islands, 21 July 2011 – A Regional meeting of Ministers for Women around the Pacific region has endorsed calls for the need to recognise the value of local and traditional knowledge alongside scientific knowledge, to facilitate adaptation and mitigation efforts to combat climate change in the Pacific Islands.

“There is a need for empirical, traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge to connect with each other and to be discussed at the same forums. There is also a need to translate climate change issues in simple and local language and distribute this information widely and in particular at community level,” said Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Community Development, the Hon. Dame Carol Kidu.

The one-day Pacific Women’s Ministerial Workshop on Climate Change which ended in Nadir yesterday, focused on promoting and incorporating gender and women’s human rights into climate change strategies in the region. It was convened by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

“As a family of the Pacific, we are united to pursue a common interest to protect our communities and families and to better recognise the roles of men and women in planning our actions on how to adapt to climate change now and in the future,” the Hon. Kuwaiti Benito, Kiribati Minister for Internal and Social Affairs told the meeting in his opening address.

“In Kiribati, we are recognising the importance of doing this and are doing our best to integrate a gender perspective in all climate change initiatives. We believe this is important for the sustainable development of our nation,” Hon. Benito said.

Brigitte Leduc, SPC Gender Equality Advisor said: “Women are powerful agents of change and their leadership is critical as they have always played a critical role in managing natural resources, food security and the overall well-being of their household and community.”

“Funds for climate change adaptation in the Pacific are already available and priorities for funding should be gender responsive and incorporate infrastructures and technologies that address the needs of and benefit both women and men,” Ms Leduc said.

Ministers deliberated on national and regional actions they could lead and support to ensure that preparations being undertaken in their countries to adapt to climate change involve and protect all their people, and in particular women in decision-making processes and in the delivery of services.

ENDS

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