WUNRN
Gender Equality & Earths Future
By
Mary Robinson, Christiana Figueres, & Amina J. Mohammed
March 9, 2015 - NEW YORK Twenty years ago,
the adoption by 189 governments of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action marked a turning point in the history of women's rights. This
progressive blueprint remains a powerful source of inspiration in the effort to
realize equal opportunities for women and girls.
But while much progress has been made in the
intervening decades, much more remains to be done to ensure that women and
children are guaranteed healthy lives, education, and full social inclusion. In
just 42 countries do women hold more than 30% of seats in the national legislature, and
girls still do not have the same educational opportunities as boys in
Sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania, and western Asia.
Gender equality is not just the concern of
half of the world's population; it is a human right, a concern for us all,
because no society can develop economically, politically, or socially when
half of its population is marginalized. We must leave no one behind.
This is a year of global action. Governments
will adopt a new set of Sustainable Development Goals, work together to draft a
meaningful climate agreement, and craft a framework to provide the financial
resources needed to deliver on a global sustainable development agenda. Those
participating would be wise to remember that inclusive sustainable development
can be realized only when all human rights including gender equality are protected,
respected, and fulfilled.
The three of us each from different
continents support these international processes. We share a common
motivation for our work: protecting our planet for our children and
grandchildren, and ensuring the development of a world where all people
regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, or sexual
orientation have an equal opportunity to achieve their aspirations.
It is critical that we continue to engage men
and boys actively in the fight against gender-based discrimination and
violence. We have an opportunity to secure a better future and raise a new
generation of girls and boys who respect one another and work together to
protect the rights of all people.
The implications of not providing girls with
equal voices, choices, and opportunities affect not just their lives, but the
future of the planet. Efforts to promote inclusive sustainable development and
fight climate change are inextricably linked. If we care about development, we
must care about the consequences our greenhouse-gas emissions are having around
the world. And if we do not take urgent action, we will irreparably damage the
natural systems on which life depends.
This is not a threat that we can set aside
until we have eradicated poverty worldwide. Nor is it a problem that we can
leave to future generations to address. Left unchecked, climate change along
with other unsustainable patterns of development could wipe out the gains of
recent decades. All countries developed and developing have a role to play
in ensuring a stable world for our children.
Women are among those most vulnerable to the
impacts of unsustainable practices and climate change, because they often have
no independent income or land rights. In many countries, women are responsible
for the provision of water and food for their families. And when the usual
sources of these resources are disrupted, women are forced to travel farther
and spend more time working for less return. Scarcity requires them to make
difficult choices like pulling children out of school or deciding which family
member can afford to skip a meal.
In many homes around the world, women are at
the heart of the household's nexus of water, food, and energy and thus often
know firsthand about the challenges and potential solutions in these areas. In
our conversations with women around the world, we hear about their struggles,
but also their ideas, many of which, if applied, could facilitate change. Women
are the most convincing advocates for the solutions that they need, so they
should be at the forefront of decision-making on sustainable development and
climate-change mitigation.
Over the coming weeks, during the 59th
session of the Commission on the Status of Women
in New York, the international community will take stock of the progress that
has been made toward achieving what was pledged 20 years ago in Beijing and
assess where more efforts are needed.
This year will be crucial. With the Financing for Development conference
in July, the Special Summit on Sustainable
Development Goals in September, and the UN
Climate Change Conference in December, we have the opportunity to
integrate gender equality and women's empowerment fully into the effort to
promote sustainable development and fight climate change.
The three of us wake up every morning
thinking about how to make this happen. Everyone should. We call on all women
and men to join us in making their voices heard loudly and in seizing this
opportunity for a just and equitable future for all.