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Women’s Caucus – UN CBD Opening Statement

Open-Ended Working Group on Post2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Fourth Meeting (OEWG2020-4), 21-26 June,
Nairobi, Kenya
CBD Women Caucus Opening Statement
21 June 2022

Thank you, Chair!

Right here, right now, in Nairobi we are at a critical juncture of negotiations to enable an agreement for a transformative, inclusive and human rights-based framework that effectively and equitably addresses the drivers of biodiversity loss and recognises the rights and contributions of rights holders, especially Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, women, and girls and youth.

Halting biodiversity loss requires no less than changing the production and consumption patterns, land and resource use governance to more equitable and sustainable models. Women have been key biodiversity custodians but their rights, innovations, knowledge and practices have been neglected and their participation in planning, policy and decision-making are often overlooked. These gender-differentiated impacts are not anecdotal; they are systemic and interrelated.

A gender-specific target would serve to guide all biodiversity-related planning, policies and implementation with a gender lens that would ensure the full realisation of the global biodiversity framework. It would drive action towards gender equality priorities and would ensure that countries consider this target in their planning, monitoring and reporting processes.

Last month, at the UNCCD COP 15, The Gender Caucus, through the Abidjan declaration on achieving gender equality for successful land restoration recognized that equitable land governance and land tenure security are fundamental components to enable land degradation neutrality and land restoration efforts.

This is the opportune time to strengthen synergies in bringing the work of the Rio Conventions to align with each other.

However, why is it that we are still at a standstill where we NEED to justify a stand-alone target on gender equality?

Section B.bis should not result in removal of important principles and standards (such as rights-based approaches, rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and gender and youth) from the goals, targets and other sections of the framework, as appropriate.

Let’s seize this moment……

The Women’s Caucus has recommendations for text proposals to inform this Nairobi negotiation, which will enable an inclusive and gender-responsive global biodiversity framework that will ensure that no one is left behind.

We invite Parties to look at these recommendations.

We take this opportunity to thank all the Gender Champions who have supported us wholeheartedly, and we hope others will join.

Target 22 – this 2022

Thank you

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