Report for 27 November 2012

Members of the panel spoke about why women were often the group most affected by climate change, because of the role they play in the home and as a care giver. They also talked about why women were so vital in the fight against climate change and the importance of gender equality.

Ms Christiana Figueres, also put a range of questions to them, including how we move plans into actions, how women can be encouraged to become leaders and how women can be empowered to use their innate leadership and management skills. ‘Women are enablers of food security,” she said, adding that women are “agents of change” and “bringers of solutions”.

Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland who is now a prominent human rights activist, said the approach to solving climate change issues has been rightly moving to a “more people-centred, that means more women-centred” focus.

Ambassador Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the South African MP who was President of COP17/COP7, the previous UN Climate Change Conference held in Durban last year. She strongly recommended that women should not be left out in decision-making and in their implementation. She said: “let us make the women of the world be part of the big story, not part of the foot note.”

The event also served as the launch of a Legacy Project to expand the space for women’s dialogue and awareness of the specific challenges with regards to climate change.

Ms. Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN, the largest environmental organization in the world. She stressed the fact that women are characterized by their energy and commitment to change.

Ms. Nawal Al-Hosany, Director of Sustainability, Masdar. she encouraged women to become leaders. What it used to be considered as women’s weaknesses, are now their strength. “In leadership, you need a certain level of awareness, empathy and humility. The basis for leadership are personal will, supportive framework of education, carrier equality and government policies.” Women need to engage in networking and in dialogue to know what it works and what it doesn’t work.

Ms Elena Manaenkova, WMO Assistant Secretary General: According to her, mothers are our first teachers of meteorology, they are always concerned on how to dress their children. Nowadays there are a number of women meteorologists in the world. She finalized her statement by saying that “women have to go through all obstacles, have support from their family, be patient, work hard, sleep very little and be happy for the world I leave in.”

Mr Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, the President of COP18/CMP8 and officials from the COP18/CMP8 organizing committee attended the event. Thanks to Mr Al-Attiyah support, the item of Gender will be added to the agenda of the Conference.