Gender Just Climate Solutions

The goal of the Paris Agreement, aiming to enhance the global response to the threat of climate change, demands ambitious solutions that elevate the voices of those directly confronting climate challenges on the frontlines. These solutions must be both gender-just and locally-driven. Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), as part of the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), coordinates the Gender Just Climate Solutions (GJCS) Awards every year at the climate COPs. The GJCS Awards bring together environmental defenders drawing on gender equality and women’s rights approaches to combat the climate crisis together during COPs.

This event showcased examples of locally-owned climate actions that center on gender justice and have a transformative impact on the ambition of climate policies. The award ceremony celebrated awardees in three categories: Technical, Non-technical, and Transformational Solutions.

Valeria Peláez Cardona, WECF, and Zukiswa White, WGC, moderated the event. Manju Kak, Secretary General, All India Women’s Conference, welcomed participants, noting that the event allows women to be “more present” at COP meetings.

In opening remarks, White said WGC and WECF have jointly been calling on global leaders to prioritize policies that respect and promote the rights of all people, including women. The event, she stressed, offers tangible solutions on how to provide women’s rights through financial and technical support. Recalling the history of the GJCS award ceremony since its beginning in COP 21, Cardona reported growth, noting that 2023 has received 973 applications from 90 countries. She described a transparent selection process leading to the groups to be celebrated at the GJCS 2023 Awards.

Fred Onduri, UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) Advisory Board, said the GJCS has been the guiding force for the revision of the CTCN Gender Policy and Action Plan, which is aimed at enhancing gender considerations in technologies that promote climate adaptation and mitigation. He further mentioned the CTCN Climate Technology and Gender online platform, which consists of a roster of gender and climate technology experts for diverse purposes.

Technical Solutions Award: Jochen Flasbarth, Secretary of State, Federal Ministry of International Cooperation, Germany, presented the project by the architecture charity AzuKo, Build for Safety: Women Contributing to Climate Resilient Housing in Bangladesh, as winners of this category. The project, based in Dinajpur, Bangladesh, is aimed at empowering women through home construction in a male-dominated building sector, utilizing eco-friendly design and local materials. Participants watched a short video of the project.

The award was received jointly by Jo Ashbridge, AzuKo, and Apu Roy, Nirapod Bangladesh Songstha. In their acceptance speech, Apu Roy noted that the award celebrates more than 300 women who are building climate-resilient houses to resist the impacts of climate change. Jo Ashbridge said the women house constructors are proud to have received the recognition.

Non-technical Solutions Award: Fred Onduri presented the project by Paran Women Group, Kenya, “Indigenous Women Uniting to Bolster Knowledge and Resilience to Climate Change” as the winners of this category. The project, which focuses on improving water and food security, includes establishing kitchen gardens, organic briquette making, native tree planting, beadwork, medicinal herb collection, and beekeeping to generate alternative income sources.

The award was received by Naiyan Kiplagat, Paran Women Group, who said the group is an umbrella network of 64 Indigenous women’s groups engaging over 1000 women and girls in forest restoration and diversification of diets and income generation. She said the women are the caretakers of the motherland.The award will “create visibility of our work and strengthen our leadership,” she concluded.

Transformational Solutions Award: Maisa Rojas Corradi, Minister of Environment, Chile, presented this award to the “Feminist Framework for Gender Equitable Climate Disaster Response” project by Baithak – Challenging Taboos and the DASTAK Foundation. This project, led by two feminist organizations in Pakistan, is developing a strategic framework tool for policymakers and practitioners to prioritize the specific needs of women and girls, emphasizing their reproductive health, well-being, and safety during crises.

Hira Amjad, Executive Director, DASTAK Foundation, and Ayesha Amin, Founder, Baithak – Challenging Taboos, accepted the award. Amin noted that the strategic framework tool emanates from the unique experiences of women and girls living in conflict areas, and highlighted the situation of women and girls in Gaza who are forced to use contraceptives due to the lack of sanitary pads, have experienced miscarriages, and have had stillbirths due to stressful circumstances. Amjad said the purpose of the tool is also to dismantle patriarchy and ensure an end to gender-based violence, which is also prevalent during war and conflict.

Cadorna presented the Gender Just Climate Solutions 2023 Report, available in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. She reported that, as with previous awardees, the 2023 cohort will receive a grant and be part of a mentorship program that will introduce them to climate negotiators and support networking and access to funding opportunities to scale up their activities.

Participants then heard from two past winners who related the opportunities the awards have opened and continue to open for them. 2018 Technical Solutions Winner, Trupti Jain, Naireeta Services, India, said the capacity-building received through the mentorship programme has provided her a global experience and motivation and financial support to scale up activities to support women farmers in India. 2021 Transformation Solutions Winner, Lilian Andrea Gregorio, Defensoras Ambientales, noted the sense of solidarity in the mentorship network, which she said has allowed sharing of experiences from around the world.

Organizer: Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), as part of the Women and Gender Constituency
Contact: Anne Barre anne.barre@wecf.org I Valeria Peláez Cardona valeria.pelaez@wecf.org
For more information: https://www.wecf.org/gjcs/