By Jennie Westlund och Bosse Parbring
The organization Gender CC - Women for Climate Justice - has elected Finland as the "Gender Champion of the Week". This is
partly because Finland has given financial support to women's presence in the climate negotiations, and partly because it
is pushing to include references to women and gender in the new climate agreement.
"Finland has contributed 500,000 euros where it is needed to allow women to participate and to improve their skills," says
Minu Hemnati from Gender CC.
"Finland has funded the participation of 23 women from the least developed countries who would otherwise not have been able
to come to Copenhagen", said Aira Kalela, who works at the Finnish Foreign Ministry, and is the one who is driving gender
issues from the Finnish side.
She believes that Finland, together with the other Nordic countries, will be successful in getting a reference to gender included
in the initial common vision in the political agreement. A legally binding contract to replace the Kyoto Protocol will not
be finalized in Copenhagen. On the other hand, the delegates will agree to a politically binding agreement to guide the continuing
work towards an agreement which will replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.
Since Sweden holds the Presidency of the EU, pressure from the Nordic EU member states will add extra weight to the issue.
Iceland and Norway have also been driving forces. Kirsten Jacobsen, from the Norwegian negotiating team, says that Norway
supports the initiative to include gender and equality in the text.
"Finland and Iceland have been very active in these issues, and, under the Swedish Presidency, the EU has also driven the gender perspective forward. Of course, we stand behind that," said Kirsten Jacobsen.
"In the negotiations Iceland has addressed vulnerabilities and argued that women are more prone to the adverse impacts from climate change", states Ingibjörg Davíðsdóttir, Director for Human Rights and Equality Affairs at the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
"Changes in the climate have impact on sectors that are traditionally associated with women - meaning increased hardship for women. Based on the aforementioned and much more, Iceland has stated that it feels it is imperative that women are guaranteed a seat at the policy and decision making table at all levels. Active participation of women at all levels is a key to success in our endeavors to deal with climate change."
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| Aira Kalela, Finnish Foreign Ministry. Photo: Bosse Parbring |
Aira Kalela thinks that the big breakthrough came in March 2009 at a meeting funded by Finland.
"In Liberia we gathered more than 1000 women at a conference for women leaders. Four female presidents attended.
Liberia, with Ghana and other African countries, is also pushing to have a gender perspective included. They see that climate change affects poor women in particular, but also that women have much to contribute because they dominate agriculture and have developed strategies to address the impact of climate change.
Finnish negotiator Sirkka Haunia promises continued commitment:
"We will continue our support. We would also like to see countries integrating the gender perspective into their national
follow-up plans.
“The full integration of gender perspectives is essential to effective action on all aspects of climate change, including adaptation, mitigation, technology sharing, financing, and capacity building. The advancement of women, their leadership and meaningful participation, and their engagement as equal stakeholders in all climate related processes and implementation must be guaranteed.”
"The agreement text is just the tip of the iceberg," says Aira Kalela. Through the organisation Global Gender and Climate Alliance we have reached more than 30,000 climate experts. It is the meetings and seminars we have with them that are important.
Finland, Denmark and Iceland have organised fringe events in Copenhagen on the gender perspectives of climate change. Finnish President Tarja Halonen will participate in a fringe event on 17 December.
