Be Heard! Be Published! Taking women’s stories & recommendations to Rio+20

Advise World Leaders on What Sustainable and Equitable Development Means to YOU

In partnership with the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), World Pulse is collecting personal stories outlining women’s experiences and recommendations on sustainable and equitable development for presentation at the Rio +20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

How Can My Voice Be Included?
“Women leaders are a potent immune system for the Earth. Now it is our job to crank up the volume on the often-unheard voices so that they can become an unstoppable, vibrant force for ecological restoration: quiet no more, loudly roaring and gushing with life.” —Jensine Larsen, World Pulse Founder

Follow the submission guidelines to ensure your voice reaches the Rio+20 summit. The Women’s Major Group will draw from your experiences and recommendations to address world leaders on adopting clear and focused measures for implementing sustainable development.

All stories submitted on our community platform between now and June 3 will be presented at the Rio+20 Conference from June 20-22. Additionally, selected entries will be published in World Pulse’s digital magazine and distributed widely to international media partners.

Why Does This Matter to Me?
“The full potential of women as leaders and beneficiaries of sustainable development has not been fully realized. As half the world’s population, women need to have equal opportunities and a strong voice in all aspects of making sustainable development a reality.” —Michelle Bachelet, UN Women Exec. Director

Women work two thirds of the world’s working hours, yet receive only 10% of the world’s income and own only 1% of the world’s property. The potential for women’s leadership in the protection, management, and recovery of the natural environment is arguably the greatest untapped resource for a successful, sustainable development model.

This year we have an urgent opportunity to address governments and policymakers at the Rio +20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. We must ensure that the summit outcomes represent women’s priorities in achieving gender equality and environmental justice for a sustainable future.

What is Rio+20?
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) will take place June 20-22, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking the 20th anniversary of the first ‘Earth Summit’ in 1992—a landmark UN summit organized in response to the growing ecological crisis.

Now, twenty years later, the UN is again bringing together governments, international institutions, and major groups to agree on a range of smart measures that can reduce poverty while promoting decent jobs, clean energy, and a more sustainable and fair use of resources.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. Log in to your PulseWire account. Not a member? Join World Pulse’s online community of grassroots women leaders representing 190 countries.
2. Select an issue area to addressfrom the list below, which most closely relates to your life, experience, and personal priority:
   • Women’s land tenure, property rights, and control over natural resources.
   • Women’s access to services and technologies needed for water, energy, agricultural production, family care, household management, and business enterprises.
   • Access to safe health care facilities, including for sexual and reproductive health.
   • Ability for women—and men—to combine their jobs with childcare.
   • Investments in women’s economic empowerment.
   • Women in the informal and care economy.
   • Women’s participation in government and business leadership.

   or

   • Other—are we missing a key issue within sustainable development that’s not covered here?
3. Write your story in your PulseWire Journal. Your story submission should be limited to 800 words and incorporate all three of the following elements:
   • Issue area: State which sub-topic you have selected and are addressing within your story.
   • Personal Introduction: Share an overview or specific life experience that describes how this issue affects you personally. What is your personal story and on-the-ground reality?
   • Recommendation: Share your vision for change or call to action for addressing this issue. Specifically—what is your recommendation to world leaders at Rio+20—how can governments adopt and implement policy and legislative changes that recognize and promote women’s economic contributions?
4. Tag your journal with the keyword “Rio20″ and submit your story by June 3, 2012 to ensure your voice is represented at the Rio+20 summit! Learn about tagging >>

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Women’s Major Group Statement to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

VIDEO: Women Demand Rights and Ambition at Rio+20 Negotiations

Empowerment of Women in a Green Economy in the Context of Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development

Posted in News, Rio +20
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