CBD
In every region of the world, women and men have unique relationships with, dependencies upon, and expertise regarding their environments.
The 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the international framework for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of its benefits. The Preamble of the Convention shows a commitment to gender equality by, “Recognizing also: the vital role that women play in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and affirming the need for the full participation of women at all levels of policy-making and implementation for biological diversity conservation.”
From preamble and shared vision text, to actionable language for programming and finance, this policy language has recognized that the integration of women’s rights and gender equality issues into the mitigation of biodiversity loss, climate change and desertification is not only essential but maximizes the efficacy of interventions, programs and resources. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreements lead with an extraordinary array of text.
The Parties to the CBD, agreeing gender text in their decisions as early as 1996, at the third Conference of Parties in Argentina, are in a trail-blazing position. Committing to gender mainstreaming in CBD’s 2010 decision X/19 and integrating gender equality into its Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, Parties are in a unique position to pursue transformative implementation, including by meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
Words on paper are crucial, but healthy ecosystems and gender equality both will be a lived reality only when full implementation is realized. One of the greatest challenges faced by governments, project practitioners, gender experts and other development partners is to ensure that gender sensitive policies agreed at international fora are then implemented appropriately and fully.
The Eleventh Meeting of the CBD Conference of Parties (CBD COP11) will take place from 8 – 19 October 2012 in Hyderabad, India and will attempt to implement policies to curb escalating biodiversity loss and preserve life on earth.
WEDO, alongside an international group of advocates, will be there to ensure that gender is taken into account in the negotiations across all aspects of any new agreement.
For further information please use the following links:
Gender Equality and the Convention on Biological Diversity: A Compilation of Decision Text
http://www.wedo.org/wp-content/uploads/folletofinalCBD-WEB.pdf
Convention on Biological Diversity
http://www.cbd.int/
Guidelines for Mainstreaming Gender into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-49-en.pdf
CBD Factsheet: Biodiversity, Gender and Climate Change
www.cbd.int/climate/doc/biodiversity-gender-climate-change-en.pdf
CBD Factsheet: Gender and Biodiversity
www.cbd.int/iyb/doc/prints/factsheets/iyb-cbd-factsheet-gender-en.pdf
The Latest CBD News
Women Fight for Food Security as they Conserve Biodiversity: Mwingi, Kenya, CASE STUDY
by: Floridah Kagendo, WEDO CBD COP11 Representative/ Crop Development Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya
Over many generations, women have been charged with the responsibility of feeding their families with nutritionally rich and balanced foods. Nature has dutifully provided these foods, but over time, the production has been declining. Women collect firewood in the forests, draw water from streams whose source is the forest and rely heavily on the same forests to provide food for their …
Email This Article
Meet Our International Team of Experts
HYDERABAD, INDIA (October 11, 2012)– With support from the CBD Secretariat, thirteen women experts in biodiversity, conservation and gender equality from 9 countries – India, Nepal, Colombia, Nigeria, Kenya, Costa Rica, Suriname, the Philippines, and the U.S. – form WEDO’s delegation to the COP, working together to host a daily women’s caucus, deliver interventions on women’s rights and gender equality, and push for enhanced implementation on the many policy commitments made in recent years. Read …
A Compilation of CBD Gender Equality Decision Text
HYDERABAD, INDIA (October 9, 2012)–In preparation for this COP, WEDO and the CBD Secretariat compiled the gender-responsive language from all agreements in the history of the CBD, Gender Equality and the Convention on Biological Diversity: A Compilation of Decision Text. From preamble and shared vision text, to actionable language for programming and finance, the policy language in the Convention on Biological Diversity has recognized that the integration of women’s rights and …
Women at CBD Make Bold Opening Statement
HYDERABAD, INDIA (October 9, 2012)– On Monday, Dr. Archana Godbole of AERF India delivered the Women’s Caucus statement at the opening plenary of the CBD COP11. The short and direct statement made clear the importance of women’s rights and gender equality to successfully addressing biological diversity. The Women’s Caucus further identified 5 key points including women’s traditional knowledge, capacity building, gender indicators and long term commitment to gender equality within biodiversity. Importantly, the statement highlighted …
Women at CBD: Interests and Priorities for Advocacy
HYDERABAD, INDIA (October 8, 2012)– On Sunday, October 7th 2012, Andrea Quesada and Eleanor Blomstrom of WEDO and Vivienne Solis Rivera of Coopesolidar organized a workshop on Gender and the Convention on Biological Diversity for 10 participants, including members of the international team of advocates WEDO is supporting this year and funded by the CBD Secretariat. For the next two weeks of the conference, WEDO will host a daily women’s caucus to ensure that women’s views and …
