Women at the Intersection of Climate Action and Peacebuilding -Insights from the Thematic Discussion on “Rising Tides, Rising Leaders: Women Spearheading Climate, Peace, and[...]

Women at the Intersection of Climate Action and Peacebuilding -
Insights from the Thematic Discussion on "Rising Tides, Rising Leaders: Women Spearheading Climate, Peace, and Security"

As climate change accelerates, it exacerbates existing inequalities and tensions in conflict-affected areas, with women facing some of the most significant challenges. Ignoring gender perspectives in climate action excludes women from crucial roles in resilience and recovery, reinforcing harmful norms that perpetuate gender inequities and social instability. The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) framework offers a vital opportunity to address these interconnected issues. The 2023 WPS Index reveals that countries committed to WPS principles not only achieve greater peace but are also better equipped to tackle climate challenges. Yet, outdated and siloed approaches still hinder many governments from integrating WPS into their climate strategies.

On October 30, 2024, the final day of the 2024 International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security, the Philippine Commission on Women led a thematic discussion titled "Rising Tides, Rising Leaders: Women Spearheading Climate, Peace, and Security." This session explored the intersections of WPS and climate change, emphasizing the effectiveness of gender-based approaches in mitigating climate impacts.

In her opening remarks, PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla emphasized that climate change is not merely an environmental crisis; it is a significant driver of insecurity that heightens the vulnerabilities of marginalized groups, particularly women and communities displaced by conflict and environmental disasters. She underscored the necessity of women's leadership for both immediate disaster response and long-term peacebuilding, highlighting the interdependence of climate resilience and peace.

"By championing gender-responsive approaches, we empower women worldwide to lead us closer to a more resilient and secure future. We need new, tested approaches that work. We need networks and linkages that extend beyond structures and borders. We need national women's machineries that are well resourced and support the advocacy of women's groups addressing armed conflict and climate change. We need platforms to continue this conversation beyond the walls of this conference," she stressed.

Ms. Andy Yentriyani, Chairperson of the National Commission on Violence Against Women in Indonesia, highlighted the urgent need to address Gender-Based Violence Against Women (GBVAW) within the context of the climate crisis. She discussed how the WPS framework can effectively advance these advocacy efforts, noting that many complaints received by her Commission relate to natural resources, conflicts, or land disputes.

"It is very important to look at Women, Peace, and Security because it not only addresses women's participation in a vacuum but also focuses on how women can have substantive and meaningful participation and how they can actually translate it into prevention or what we call resilience. Besides handling situations where gender-based violence has erupted, it also locates the accountability of state and non-state actors within the framework of human rights," she stated. Additionally, Ms. Yentriyani presented findings from a mapping study that included interviews with over 108 participants, such as civil servants, women victims of violence related to the climate crisis, and community organizers.

Ms. Ruth Kissam, Board Chair and President of the Advancing PNG Women Leaders Network in Papua New Guinea, emphasized the critical role civil society plays in the absence of a supportive policy framework that advocates for the WPS agenda. She shared her country's concerns regarding the effects of climate change and how displacement leads to a loss of tribal protections.

"We're losing islands. We're losing our identity because the moment indigenous people lose their land, they lose their identity. For us, climate change is real," she asserted. Ms. Kissam highlighted the necessity of having women in decision-making roles, especially in a patriarchal society like Papua New Guinea. She acknowledged the difficulties involved in convincing men that their actions have a direct impact on women's lives, emphasizing that security issues often disproportionately affect women. Communicating this message can be challenging, but Ms. Kissam highlighted that when women are in positions of power, they are more likely to make decisions that benefit the entire community.

Dr. Marisa O. Ensor, Senior Climate Research Fellow at Georgetown University, USA, shared valuable insights on learning from women's experiences worldwide. She emphasized that women and girls are differently and disproportionately impacted by the adverse effects of climate change. Highlighting the importance of evidence-based approaches, Dr. Ensor noted that a thorough understanding of these challenges is crucial for developing effective solutions. She discussed various studies she has conducted or contributed to, which illustrate the benefits of including women in climate action.

"We must find ways to promote women and girls' meaningful participation without increasing their already disproportionate burdens or exposing them to unnecessary risks," she added. Additionally, mapping gender-based issues in climate-affected regions highlights the intrinsic link between these two critical challenges.

H.E. Smiljana Knez, Ambassador-at-Large for Climate Diplomacy from Slovenia, discussed the importance of integrating environmental resilience into WPS frameworks. She underscored the critical role of women's participation and leadership in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of these initiatives.

Ambassador Knez highlighted both the challenges and opportunities in aligning environmental resilience with peacebuilding strategies, offering valuable guidance for countries developing their policies. "We would like everyone to recognize the promotion of planetary environmental well-being as a pathway for peace. Additionally, we need more clarity on the different roles and positions that women find themselves in," she stated. She also shared insights on maximizing potential collaborations and partnerships to advance the WPS agenda.

Ms. Molly Kellogg, Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Advisor at Oxfam America, emphasized that climate change knows no borders and impacts everyone unequally. She presented five key recommendations to advance the interconnected goals of peace, resilience, and gender equality: support women's meaningful participation in peacebuilding linked to natural resources; amplify the voices of women and feminist leaders facing climate-security crises; protect the safety of women and girls in vulnerable contexts; finance locally-led, integrated approaches for climate resilience and peacebuilding; and invest in data and research to better understand gender, climate, and security risks.

Highlighting the need for inclusion, she stated, "Nothing about us, without us," underscoring that policies should reflect the perspectives of those most affected. She concluded by asserting that there is no environmental justice without gender justice, showcasing various approaches to mitigate the impacts of climate change on Women, Peace, and Security.

Mobilizing Collective Efforts to Elevate Women's Leadership in Climate Resilience

In response to the final question about concrete steps that governments, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations can take to ensure that women's leadership is central to addressing the challenges of climate change and security, Chairperson Yentriyani emphasized the need for an evidence-based participatory approach. She advocated for investing in locally informed data, enabling women to collect evidence related to peace and security in their specific climate crisis situations. This, she explained, would empower women to find effective solutions and contribute to broader societal impacts. Ms. Kissam highlighted the importance of collaboration, stressing that development partners should avoid creating parallel programs. She warned that without sustained funding, efforts would collapse, leaving communities in worse positions. She stressed that true empowerment comes from women taking ownership of their challenges.

Dr. Ensor urged support for inclusive, women-led civil society coalitions and the expansion of capacity-building efforts for women across diverse backgrounds. She advocated for creating safe channels for participation, promoting peaceful masculinity programs, fostering coordinated actions across policy agendas, and investing in long-term, multidisciplinary research to ensure that strategies reflect on-ground realities. Women already understand the necessary steps, she asserted, and that they simply need to be heard and supported.

Ambassador Knez highlighted three priorities: awareness-raising, mainstreaming, and a comprehensive approach. She argued that isolating these topics in separate silos would hinder progress and called for their integration into broader security and development policies. She emphasized the need to be mindful of the potential for projects to unintentionally harm other areas.

Ms. Kellogg focused on the critical issue of financing, noting that only a fraction of international climate finance reaches fragile and conflict-affected states. She stressed the need for effective engagement in climate change adaptation within these challenging contexts, particularly ensuring that funding reaches local organizations. As women peacebuilders are on the frontlines of climate change adaptation and peacebuilding, it is essential that funding effectively supports their efforts on the ground.

The thematic discussion was organized in partnership with UN Women, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, and Oxfam, and was moderated by Undersecretary Emerald Anne R. Ridao, Presidential Communications Office's Senior Undersecretary for Digital Media Services. It was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on October 30, 2024.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.