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International Governance of Sustainable Development

European HearingRio+20

Sascha Gabizon, executive director WECF Women in Europe for a Common Future

Women Rio+20 Steering Committee

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UN GA RESOLUTION 64/236 (from 24/dec/2009)

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Living with less than 1 dollar a day

•Social and economic inequities are especially hard on women and children

•Women are 70% of the 1.3 billion poor

•More pressure on women from current food, fuel and financial crises

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Priorities for women and international governance of SD

•The economy should support well-being for all within the carrying capacity of the planet

•Currently; most of humanity (women) and the planet are used for the economy of a few

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Markets needs legal frameworks and incentives to assure equity

•The vulnerable and poor cannot rely on market mechanisms alone

•They need rights to protect their lives and livelihoods

• A ‘green’ economic system must promote social equity and gender equity

• Link International Government and Green Economy

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Linking IFSD x IEG x GE ?

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL ECONOMICAL

INSTITUTIONALFRAMEWORK FOR SD

ENVIRONMENTAL

IEG

ESMO

ES

MO

ExistingStrongMultilateralOrganizations

GAPS IN CURRENTSD COMMITMENTS

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Possible priorities for women and the Green Economy

•Target: 40% women’s share in new green jobs

•Social protection floor - especially for women house-workers / informal sectors

•Regulation for safe, decent and healthy jobs (chemicals, radiation..)

•Beyond GDP•The American way of life: obsolete

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Promote women’s economic contributions: enable them!

•Secure women’s property rights, land tenure, and control over natural resources

•Promote women’s access to finance, technologies, information, health care

•Enable women - and men - to combine their jobs with childcare

•Promote women in decision making in policy and business (e.g. Norway)

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Possible priorities for women and international governance

Outcome from Rio+20:

•Support an agreement to implement Rio Principle 10*

•Assure women’s equal access to information, public participation and justice

* Examples exist a.o. in UNECE Aarhus Convention, Biosafety Protocol as essential elements of capacity-building, in many national legislations in all regions

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Making the economic sector work for society and environment

• Governance of financial and economic systems

• Abolishing perverse subsidies = cheapest way to sustainable development

• New funding for social and environmental protection, and women in GE:

– Financial Transaction Tax (tobin) – Ocean levy– Kerosene tax– Mining/Primary extraction tax

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Strengthen international environmental governance structure Which fits these objectives (form fits function):• Bring environment ministers higher on the

agenda • Influence financial decisions with impact on the

environment• Assess and monitor new technologies before

widespread use (geo-engineering, nanotech, ..)• Provide new funding means, incl.soft funding• Have the authority to improve coherence

between international agencies• Equitable, transparent, accountable, dispute

settlement

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Possible Options?

Fundamental reform:•Cost reductions at the right places: review UN/Bretton Woods privileges

•Upgrade UNEP •Cluster (the smaller) MEAs as with the 3 chemical conventions?

•Review of UN commissions - CSD, CSW..

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Bottom up - support local women’s organisations

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Thank You