UNCCD
Desertification – the loss of soil fertility in drylands – and land degradation are two of the greatest challenges to sustainable development, and have myriad of potentially catastrophic impacts on local, national, and international communities. Desertification can lead to a lack of food security, an increase in hunger and poverty, forced migration, and the loss of biodiversity in ecosystems. Recognizing the threat desertification poses to the global community, the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environmental Development (UNCED) in Rio called for the creation of a Convention to Combat Desertification. The UNCCD was formally adopted in 1994.
The UNCCD recognizes women’s gender-specific roles and needs in combating desertification, and the effects land degradation has on their livelihoods. As the primary collectors of food and water, women are forced by desertification to travel farther to find resources, time that interferes with their educations and other work. Men often migrate away from their families to find new sources of income, leaving women behind as the sole caretakers of their children, the elderly, and the sick.
WEDO is committed to working with the UNCCD in fighting the effects of land degradation and responding to women’s needs in the face of desertification.
The Latest UNCCD News
Rio Conventions Launch Brochure on Gender Mainstreaming
RIO DE JANEIRO (June 19 2012)-Official press release from IISD Reporting Services
On the sidelines to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) launched a joint brochure outlining gender mainstreaming in the three Conventions, and describing challenges and opportunities for synergistic action.
The information brochure, titled “The Rio Conventions: …
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WEDO at the UNCCD COP10
“We must take the particular roles that women in drylands have into account when creating programmes and actions and strategies in sustainable land management and combating desertification, land degradation and drought.”
Today, WEDO Advocacy Coordinator Rachel Harris, spoke at a UNCCD COP10 Open Dialogue Session (ODS), an open dialogue panel between Parties and civil society organizations. Ms. Harris urged Parties to focus on implementation of the new UNCCD advocacy policy framework — which can act as a guide to gender mainstreaming their 10-year strategy. “We must see the impacts of this at the local level; affected countries must consider bringing more women and youth in communities impacted by desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) into decision-making positions; there need to be equal access of women and men to all resources at all levels.”
Ms. Harris spoke on behalf of a group of CSOs concerned about gender mainstreaming in the UNCCD. These organizations are: AFAD (Mali), BIOS (Moldova), Cenesta (Iran), IPADE (Spain), and WEDO. The presentation was supported by Observers and Parties attending the session, including responses from Finland and the gender focal points of CBD and UNCCD.
Deserting Gender Equality in the UNCCD is Not an Option
From its inception the UNCCD has recognized the importance of women’s particular needs and roles in combating desertification, and in involving both women and men in all levels of decision-making. Now, with rapid loss of biodiversity, significant decreases in freshwater resources and increases in food insecurity, it is ever more critical to put the words of the Convention into action.
At UNCCD COP-10 Parties have the opportunity to adopt a framework that can simultaneously increase the effectiveness of combating desertification and achieve goals towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. This is a first step in allowing the UNCCD Secretariat to fully support Parties in gender mainstreaming the 10-year strategy. WEDO, along with several other civil society organizations and women and men around the world urge Parties at UNCCD COP-10 to not desert women or men and adopt the policy framework on gender that can greatly assist Parties in achieving needed goals toward gender equality and sustainable development.
Video: Desertification – What the Leaders Think
With the COP 10 to the UNCCD (United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification) currently meeting in South Korea, now is a great time to learn more about desertification and its effect on communities.
Watch this incredibly informative video where world leaders and agents of change, including WEDO Board Members Marcela Tovar-Restrepo and Lorena Aguilar, discuss the threat posed by desertification and the measures that can be taken against land degredation.
UNGA High-Level Meeting on Desertification: Recognizing the Role of Women
On Tuesday, 20 September 2011, member states participated at the United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting on the theme, “Addressing desertification, land degradation and drought in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.” Click here for full reports from the event.
On behalf of WEDO, Board Member- Marcela Tovar, attended this important meeting to highlight the role that women have played in combating desertification and land degradation and mitigating drought impacts within the larger contexts of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Attached, pleased find her joint statement with CARI (represented by Patrice Burger).
