Nicola Sturgeon and female leaders have called for women and girls to be more involved in battling climate change.
The First Minister was joined by Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan, and Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas at COP26 on Tuesday.
The leaders signed a joint statement calling for the role of women and girls to be advanced in addressing climate change, backed by the Scottish Government and UN Women.
The Glasgow Women’s Leadership Statement on Gender Equality and Climate Change commits to further strengthening efforts to support women and girls to lead on addressing climate change at community, national, and international level.
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It recognises that women and girls are often disproportionately affected by climate change and face greater risks and burdens from its impacts, particularly in situations of poverty.
Drafted in cooperation with UN Women, the statement was launched following a panel discussion with the female leaders.
The statement reads: “We believe that the fight against climate change must be closely connected to the fight against gender inequality, and agree that ensuring women’s and girls’ leadership is vital if global efforts to tackle climate change are to succeed.
“Women and girls are commonly disproportionately affected by climate change and face greater risks and burdens from its impacts, particularly in situations of poverty.”
It goes on to call on countries to pledge to promote gender equality in climate change policies, and for governments to give more support to projects led by women and girls which can combat global warming.
Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas was a signatory
The statement will remain open for signatures from today until the 66th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women, to be held in March 2022.
The panel discussed gendered impacts of climate change and the importance of women and girls’ leadership in addressing these.
Sturgeon said: “I am delighted to convene the Glasgow Women’s Leadership Initiative with UN Women, to put gender equality and climate change at the very forefront of COP26.
“One of the great injustices of the climate crisis is that the people and countries who are worst affected are those who have contributed least to its causes.
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“That includes women and girls, with girls more likely to be taken out of school, and women less able to find alternative forms of work as a result of climate impacts.
“The Glasgow statement recognises that the leadership of women and girls is essential to ensure global efforts to tackle climate change succeed.
“With strong partnerships between governments, businesses, and civil society we can enable more women and girls to lead on the solutions we need to address climate impacts and promote gender equality.
“I am determined that Scotland will lead on progressing this at home and internationally where we can, and I call on all leaders to join me in signing up to the statement.”
The statement is sponsored by the Scottish Government and UN Women
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said: “We can only achieve our collective goal and responsibility of reducing emissions to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius if women and girls are part of the response.
“Today’s statement is a powerful tool in sustaining the growing momentum of women’s and girls’ leadership and innovation in climate action. I call on women leaders to make concrete commitments by signing it.”
Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas said: “Empowerment of women and girls is a priority for Estonia also in our UN work.
“We need to recognize at the highest political level that especially in fragile and conflict-affected settings women and girls are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change.”
Those who wish to support and add a signature to the statement can contact DEXACOP26@gov.scot.
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