How the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought has Promoted the Role of Women in Decision-Making
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UNCCD Library
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ebook
Does desertification impact differently upon women than upon men?
Would strategies to combat desertification and mitigate the impact of drought look differently if developed by women than if developed by men alone? Or would strategies developed by men and women together be more effective than strategies developed by men only?
The Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee (INCD) that prepared the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNCCD) in the early 90s established that to combat desertification effectively both women and men should participate fully in the preparation and implementation of dryland development activities.
The INCD also recognized that participation does not materialize just by a decision but requires special support activities that will promote women’s opportunities for participating including awareness raising, training and capacity building, and education.
The commitment to promote equality between men and women has definitely formed an important element in many UNCCD related activities at the local, national, regional, and global levels that have taken place since the finalization of the Convention text in 1994.
Governments, NGOs, and international organizations have provided financial and technical support to programs that specifically target women’s active participation in the implementation of the UNCCD. Moreover, the Convention has often been highlighted for its committed effort to strengthen women’s role at all levels of its implementation – an element that is frequently lacking in other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). It has therefore been suggested that other MEAs could benefit from the UNCCD experience. But what is that experience?
Would strategies to combat desertification and mitigate the impact of drought look differently if developed by women than if developed by men alone? Or would strategies developed by men and women together be more effective than strategies developed by men only?
The Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee (INCD) that prepared the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNCCD) in the early 90s established that to combat desertification effectively both women and men should participate fully in the preparation and implementation of dryland development activities.
The INCD also recognized that participation does not materialize just by a decision but requires special support activities that will promote women’s opportunities for participating including awareness raising, training and capacity building, and education.
The commitment to promote equality between men and women has definitely formed an important element in many UNCCD related activities at the local, national, regional, and global levels that have taken place since the finalization of the Convention text in 1994.
Governments, NGOs, and international organizations have provided financial and technical support to programs that specifically target women’s active participation in the implementation of the UNCCD. Moreover, the Convention has often been highlighted for its committed effort to strengthen women’s role at all levels of its implementation – an element that is frequently lacking in other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). It has therefore been suggested that other MEAs could benefit from the UNCCD experience. But what is that experience?
Keywords
gender and environment
desertification and population
gender equity
desertification impact
decision making
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