UN Turkey calls for women’s leadership in addressing the climate crisis

United Nations organizations in Türkiye organized a joint event to draw attention to the climate crisis and the effect of the crisis on women and girls. Titled “Inter-Generational Dialogue on Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, the event brought together representatives of civil society, public institutions, youth, and local administrations.

Marking 2022 International Women’s Day the event aimed to create spaces for dialogue across generations and be a platform for women and youth to amplify their voices on issues related to the climate crisis. During the online event, the effect of climate change on women and girls and the inextricable link between gender equality and climate change were discussed.

Delivering the opening remarks of the online event on 16 March United Nations Resident Coordinator Alvaro Rodriguez said to address the climate crisis and mitigate the effects of climate change women’s leadership is necessary and continued: “We must join our forces even more strongly now. For the generations to come, we must create spaces for women, girls, and young people to bring in their experience, knowledge, and vision and take up leadership positions in climate action.

At her opening remarks Ayşin Turpancı, Head of Department for Climate Negotiations and International Policies, from Türkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change said “There are women and girls who are the most vulnerable and most affected by climate change, making up 50% of the world's population. It is critical that women, who carry the adverse effects of climate change on their shoulders, can make their voices heard at every stage and level of policies to combat climate change, participate effectively and be in decision-making positions”

“The public and private sector, civil society, academia, and international organizations should be role models for the society as leading actors in strengthening women's participation and leadership” emphasized Turpancı.

Also speaking at the opening of the event Asya Varbanova UN Women Türkiye’s Country Director underlined that climate change is not an issue of the future. It is an issue of now and added “Gender inequality coupled with the climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Women, and especially young women and girls, are environmental defenders and climate activists to guide our planet’s conservation. We need more participation and space for women and youth in decision making”.

UNDP Turkey Assistant Representative Seher Alacacı Arıner in her opening remarks said “Covid-19 pandemic or climate change, environmental disasters and shocks do not display much difference in their gender dynamics. They consistently prove that gender inequalities are exacerbating our risks and debilitating our resilience, and eventually risking our future”

“Gender inequality, crisis vulnerability, climate, and environmental risks are interacting and forming vicious cycles which we need to break out of, as soon as possible, for a sustainable future,” added Arıner. She emphasized, “Gender lens approaches and youth and women leadership are two critical keys for effective climate action, disaster resilience, and a sustainable future.”

The event continued with the Inter-Generational Dialogue session. Selma Acuner from the Women’s Coalition, Aslı Kaya from the Özgür Turna Women's Initiative, Production and Business Cooperative, and Young Climate Envoys Nuray Çaltı and Meryem Payveren discussed climate justice, its relationship with gender equality, and the role and leadership of women and girls in combating climate change during the session moderated by İlayda Eskitaşçıoğlu, one of the Young Leaders of Sustainable Development Goals. They stated that women farmers, producers, and cooperatives should be supported in order to achieve climate justice. Addressing the importance of tackling inequalities and poverty, the speakers emphasized the importance of building sustainable and green economies under the leadership of women. The speakers stated that activists from different generations should establish dialogue and be in solidarity in the fight against climate change and emphasized “It is not possible to build a sustainable future without gender equality.”

The event continued with two different workshops on “Advancing women’s participation and leadership in decision-making in climate change, environmental, and disaster risk reduction policies and programs” and “Building women’s resilience against climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction”. Civil society representatives and young activists participated in the workshops.

The climate crisis was on the agenda of International Women’s Day this year. International Women’s Day, with the theme of “Gender Equality Today for Sustainable Tomorrow” is followed by the 66th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) convened between 14-25 March 2022 in UN’s New York Headquarters. The theme of CSW this year is “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”.