WUNRN
ISIS INTERNATIONAL ACTIVIST SCHOOL
ON ENGENDERING CLIMATE JUSTICE
One
of the basic principles of feminist development communications is to see women
not only as receivers of knowledge but producers as well. The Isis
International Activist School on Engendering Climate Justice aimed to gather
grassroots women leaders from the Philippines and Southeast Asia for an
interactive and dynamic discussion on the impact of the climate change
discussions at various levels and its impacts to communities, particularly
women. Development Communications was another major component of the
activist school and facilitates women’s use and control of communication
tools from in crafting their own messages for engendering climate justice.
_________________________________________________________________
By Sabrina Buzzalino,
This was the
resounding call of participants who attended the recently concluded
The
Photo: ECJ workshop participants creating collages as they reflect on the impacts of climate change on women.
Climate change is a reality faced by people and countries everywhere with women being the most affected due to their gender. However, women are also active agents in addressing immediate and strategic solutions to climate change. Through the recently concluded training, participants gained theoretical understanding of climate change from a feminist perspective, allowing them to appreciate the importance and necessity of integrating gender in interventions at the community, national, regional and international levels. The training also provided participants with practical skills on crafting effective messages on gender and climate justice, as well as on the use of various communication tools to help them strategies more effective advocacy campaigns.
Marion Cabrera,
Coordinator of Isis International's Governance, Communications and Development
(GCD) programme, emphasized the importance of making women's contributions and
perspectives visible in climate change discussions at all levels.
“
Tito Soentoro, technical adviser of this project likewise shared information on the international climate change regime and its market-based foundations as well as strategies on engendering climate justice.
Photo: Titi Soentoro explains the gendered impacts of climate change and why it is necessary to engender climate justice
She emphasized, “Women already live in unjust
situations as women. The climate situation multiplies those forms of
injustices... So engendering the climate regime means to make [governments]
aware that there is a gender construction in the society that left women behind
in the decision-making.”
In addition, Soentoro highlighted the need
for climate justice to be based on historical responsibility and a recognition
of unequal power relations among nations.
For participants who came from varied
backgrounds as farmers, urban poor community organizers, leaders of indigenous
peoples development, gender officers for micro-credit organizations, the
training was an enriching and educating experience because of the multiple
perspectives and diverse experiences shared.
Babyluz Bador, the South Negros Team Leader
for Negros Oriental Institute for Rural Development (NIRD, Inc.), stated, “The
development work will not be successful if it is not gender sensitive.” NIRD,
Inc. is a non-governmental organization working for sustainable development and
democratization in Negros Oriental,
Donna Switi Hardiani Hamidi, Leader of the
Executive Community Body of Solidaritas Perempuan Aceh (Women Solidarity Aceh)
in
Moreover, participants were optimistic that the training will help them in their future work in engendering climate justice, particularly in communicating the issues to different audiences.
“The various tools presented to us will help us make it easier for the community to understand the issue and to see if the women are being given importance. I realized that advocacy means we could invite them to meetings, focus group discussions, and trainings so they can share their experiences as women-- about how they are affected by climate change. It was also a big help that we were able to craft a communication plan as it guides us on how to impart the messages to different stakeholders,” said Delia Camacho a participant from Southern Luzon.
Photo: Workshop participants learn how to communicate messages on engendering climate justice through visual arts.
The training ended on
a promising note. Participants announced their commitments to a one-year
communication and advocacy plan for their regions as they got ready to return
to their organisations and implement and disseminate the knowledge they had
gained in the
The