UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) side event: What’s your peace?

Livestream: Click "play" button above or select | Stream 1: | Stream 2: |

On the inaugural Relief, Recovery and Peace Day at a UN Climate Change Conference, the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland co-hosted an event entitled ‘What’s your peace? Women leading the fight against climate change and complex crises in Asia: Leveraging the Women, Peace and Security agenda for building resilience’.

Context

Climate change is forcing countries and communities in Asia to rethink what peace and security mean to them. Rather than being passive victims of climate change, women are at the frontlines of these dialogues and efforts. The rich tapestry of women’s lived experiences and grassroots solutions provide a blueprint for resilience, showcasing the synergy of gender equality, peacebuilding and climate action.

In Asia and the Pacific – home to 10 of the 15 countries most affected by climate change globally – rising migration and displacement, intensified competition for land, water and other natural resources, diminished food security, and shifts in the blue economy both undermine national security and threaten human security.

The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda now integrates climate change, acknowledging both the disproportionate impacts on women and girls, and the transformative power of their leadership across peace and climate action. WPS National Action Plans are considered a key tool to integrate peace and security goals and are arguably one of the most concrete approaches being used to address the nexus of gender, climate change, peace and security.

You are invited to watch the livestream recording (see above) as the participants explored tangible synergies between the WPS agenda, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sendai Framework and other relevant instruments for advancing gender equality, climate change solutions, and peace and security outcomes, with a focus on best practices for WPS National Action Plans.

Among the objectives of this event were to expand understanding of the WPS agenda as a framework for delivering resilience to climate change and complex crises, and to provide a platform for women peacebuilders to engage in international climate change dialogues, showcasing the widespread societal benefits of the WPS approach.

Format

• An in-person panel discussion also live-streamed. Download event flyer.

Speakers

• Welcoming remarks from Finland: Mr. Ville Tavio, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development
• Opening remarks from UN Women: Sarah E. Hendriks, UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Policy, Programme, Civil Society, and Intergovernmental Support, a.i.
• Closing remarks from Kosovo: Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo^(*)

Panelists

• Prof. Rufa Cagoco-Guiam, Peacebuilder, transitional justice negotiator and civil society leader from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines (BARMM) and Associate Professor, Mindanao State University.
• Ms. Ameera Adil, Climate activists and educator, feminist, founder of the Pakistan Youth Climate Network and an NGO 8clim.org, and Head, Office of Sustainability, National University of Science and Technology.
• Ms. Alexandra Fong, Climate Security Mechanism representative and Chief, Policy and Guidance of the Policy and Mediation Division of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
• Mr. Juha Savolainen, Deputy Director General, Department for Development Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland..

Moderator

• Mr. Nick Nuttall, Strategic Communications Director, We Don’t Have Time.

For more information about this event, please contact:

Ms Agata Walczak
Gender, Climate and Security Specialist
UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific 
e: [ Click to reveal ]

Visit: COP28 Finland Pavilion

About Relief, Recovery and Peace Day at COP 28

Held annually, the UN Climate Change Conference brings together parties to UNFCCC to negotiate and agree action on how to tackle climate change, limit emissions and halt global warming. COP 28 will feature the first-ever day dedicated to peace. The Relief, Recovery and Peace Day will focus on accelerating adaptation, preventing and addressing loss and damage, including in fragile and conflict-affected areas. The aims of climate justice and inclusive climate action are strongly aligned with the core tenets of the WPS agenda. Visit: COP 28 Relief, Recover and Peace Day.

Women, Peace and Security agenda

UN Women is the lead UN entity on the WPS agenda in the Asia-Pacific region and supports governments and civil society to develop and implement National Action Plans on WPS.

To learn more visit:

• Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Asia and the Pacific Region (2022-2027)
• Climate Security and Gender

(*) All references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244.