700405 0 Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies, and programmes Sub-regional consultations for the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries to prepare for CSW 66 session Concept Note Date : 4 March 2022 Time : 10:00-12:30 Chisinau time; 11:00-13:30 Istanbul; 9:00-11:30 CET Format : Online consultations in Chisinau Connection arrangements : to be provided to all confirmed participants Language : English, Romanian and Russian with simultaneous translation I. Background 1.1 Update on forthcoming intergovernmental events In accordance with its multi-year programme of work (2021- 2024), the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2022 will consider “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes ” as its priority theme. The UN Secretary-General’s report on the CSW66 priority theme has been issued to provide a review of the challenges of and opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes towards the full, effective and accelerated implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It concludes with recommendations for consideration by the CSW66. To take stock of the current progress in the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries in terms of achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies, as well as discuss t he main challenges and obstacles and agree on the main actions to be taken to make the required changes, the Government of the Republic of Moldova and UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECA RO) will convene sub-regional consultations on the priority theme to be held in online format on March 4, 2022. The CSW remains instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission takes a leading role in monitoring and rev iewing progress and challenges in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, among others. Since the Rio Conventions and the Beijing Platform were adopted, land degradation, biodiversity loss, global warming, pollution, disast ers, and zoonotic pandemics such as COVID-19 have accelerated and intensified into widespread and interlinked environmental crises that have affected all of humanity and nature, but with deeper impacts on women and girls, and especially rural, indigenous, and migrant women and girls. Such trends are driven by historic and human-caused global patterns of unsustainable production, consumption and land use, exploitation of marine, coastal, and terrestrial resources, wealth accumulation and the destructive depe ndency on fossil fuels, in industrialized countries. Gendered drivers and impacts of environmental degradation and climate change amplify existing gender inequalities. In many contexts women’s dependence on and unequal access to the environment – land, wa ter, and other natural resources – and public services and infrastructure, including energy, transport, water, and sanitation, mean that they are disproportionately affected by climate change, environmental degradation, and disasters. Further, women’s unpa id care and domestic workloads intensify due to the outmigration of men, or when women and their families are obliged to seek alternative livelihoods or migrate because of devastating environmental and climate impacts or disasters on livelihoods and income security. 1.2 Climate change in the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries Climate change is already having negative impacts in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and more frequent and intensive droughts and floods and other extreme weather events are e xpected to worsen over time, according to most National Communications from the region. Across the region average temperatures have risen by 0.5 degrees Celsius (°C) in the south to 1.6°C in the north (i.e. Siberia) of the ECA region, and overall increases of 1.6 to 2.6°C are expected by the middle of the Century. Summer heat waves are expected to claim more lives than will be saved by warmer winters. Water scarcity is expected to increase in all parts of the region, especially in south-eastern areas of Eur ope and Central Asia. Extreme climate events have already had adverse effects on multiple economic sectors across the region, such as agriculture, forestry, water management, and electricity generation and supply, among others. While major steps have been taken to improve social and economic development in the region, many challenges remain: according to the UNDP report , a third of the workforce remains in precarious jobs; 15 per cent of the world’s migrants come from this regio n, triggering a rapid depletion in human capital; unemployment sits at 50 per cent among the Roma and 19 per cent among youth; 88 per cent of the energy supply comes from fossil fuels; investments in renewable energy comprise just 0.2 per cent of global co mmitments; and 35 per cent of people are highly excluded from main functions of the society as a whole. In Europe, sea level rise and extreme rainfall are projected to increase flood risk. This raises the spectra of costly flood damage, destroyed infrast ructure, lost lives, and the re-alignment of financial resources to support disaster recovery, rather than prevention. The overall vulnerability of the region is as much related to the expected impacts of climate change as it is to the existing socio-eco nomic vulnerabilities related to environmental mismanagement, poor infrastructure, and inefficient nature resources consumption. In the Western Balkans and the South Caucasus, observed climate change has been affecting the national economies and communitie s through an increased frequency and intensity of natural climate induced disasters – floods, flashfloods, mudflows, rainfall-triggered landslides, droughts, hail, windstorms, and avalanches. Coastal towns in Georgia, and Ukraine are at risk from rising le vels of water in the Black Sea. Technical losses during transmission of energy amount to 13% and 15% in Ukraine and North Macedonia, respectively. Poorly insulated houses and buildings throughout the region provide low comfort and cause increased energy consumption at schools, places of work, and homes. There is also an issue of inadequate supply of affordable energy throughout the region – impacting poor households, especially women and children. As natural disasters continue to disrupt and threaten peo ple’s lives and well-being in the Eastern Europe and neighboring countries and undermine regional economic gains, it is evident that climate change associated risks disproportionately affect women and girls, who are key providers of food, water, and energy . Due to pre-existing inequalities as well as gender-related roles and expectations, women and girls across the region have fewer resources with which to adapt to changing conditions: • the average representation of women in national and global climate negotiating bodies across the Europe and Central Asia region is below 30%; • already uneven distribution of labour gets further exacerbated by climate change where women care for family mem bers whose health is affected by environmental hazards; • many of the social and environmental determinants of health, including women’s reproductive health have been negatively affected by the changing climate; • women are also often worst hit by climate- related forced displacement; • extreme weather conditions are causing decreased crop production and reduced agrobiodiversity in many parts of the globe making rural women particularly vulnerable in their day-to-day life (income insecurity); • climate chan ge-induced water stress force women and girls to travel farther to collect water, increasing burdens on their time, health, and safety, including greater exposure to gender-based violence. Gender perspectives and sex-disaggregated data on the impact of c limate change are absent from national environmental protection, climate change and disaster-risk management policies, including in disaster-prone countries. Gender norms and power structures play a critical role in determining how women and men of differ ent backgrounds are impacted by – and respond to – climate change challenges. Women should be an integral part of developing solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change. Therefore, enabling women’s voices, agency, and leadership are prerequisites for resilience building, sustainable development, and the fulfilment of gender equality and human rights. II . Key arrangements: The objective of this event is to support the countries in the Eastern Europe and neighboring countries to prepare for the CSW66 consultations and jointly agree on key joint messages to form the sub-regional vision, its perspectives, experiences, and recommendations on the game-changing actions in the climate change, environment, and disaster risk reduction arena. The specific objectives are to: Present a briefing on the CSW66 theme including data and evidence on how climate change is affecting women and girls in the region. Discuss existing barriers for strengthening gender mainstreaming in climate change action in the region. Share best practices and examples of success stories of women-led climate projects and highlighting the unique contribution women have made to the climate movement in the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries. Agree on the sub-regional position and contributions to be presented at CSW66. Format of the consultations The consultation will consist of two sessions : The first session will be devoted to an assessment of the climate challenges t he region is facing and defining potential solutions. The session will be organized as an interactive moderated discussion on the following questions: What are the key issues and barriers for strengthening gender-responsive climate actions in the Eastern Eu rope region? How to ensure the substantive and meaningful participation of women as agents of change in climate-relevant strategies, policies, programmes , and projects? What capacities are needed in the Eastern Europe and neighboring countries to ensure women are leading the way towards more equitable and sustainable solutions to climate change? The second session will be focused on the actions and the key messages to b e shared at CSW66 consultations. The session will be organized as an interactive moderated discussion on the following questions: What are the best practices and examples of success stories of women-led climate initiatives highlighting the unique contribut ion women have made to the climate movement in the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries? How to increase financing for gender-just climate solutions to build the resilience of women and girls to climate impacts and disaster risks? What are the key messages and take aways to bring to and advocate for at CSW66 global consultations? A summary of discussions will be prepared and shared with participants within a week after the consultations. Organizers : i n preparations for the CSW 66 the Government of the Republic of Moldova jointly with the UN Women ECARO will co-organize and co-host the sub-regional consultations for the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries. UN Women will provide all necessary advis ory support, ensure participation and contribution by the experienced external gender and climate change experts, facilitate preparations of the agenda and background materials, capture the findings, and facilitate the dissemination of the outcome of the c onsultations at the global platforms/events by the host country. UN Women ECA RO and UN Country Team will support by providing technical support. Participants will come from the National Gender Equality Mechanisms, environment management and DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) institutions, Parliaments, CSOs and youth representatives, gender experts, national UNFCCC coordinators, as well as research centers and think tanks, a lso the relevant regional bodies and mechanisms. The following countries are expected to be present – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria and Romania. Suggested Programme : Time Activity 10.00 -10.10 Opening session – introduction of objectives and expected results HE Mr. Marcel Spatari , Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Republic of Moldova Ms. Alia El- Yassir , UN Women Regional Director, Europe, and Central Asia Moderator: HE Mr. Marcel Spatari , Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Republic of Moldova 10.10- 10.25 Key note: From Glasgow to CSW 66 - Gender commitments for climate and environment agenda UN Women expert leading preparation of the CSW expert position paper ( TBCt ) TBC Q&A Moderator: 10.25 -11.25 Session 1. Gender Equality, Environment, Climate Change and DRR – current challenges and priorities for or Gender Sensitive Actions in the region. Interventions by representatives of the state institutions of all attending countries Speakers are invited to share views on: What are the key issues and barriers for strengthening gender-responsive climate actions in the region? How to ensure the substantive and meaningful participation of women as agents of change in climate-relevant st rategies, policies, programmes , and projects? What capacities are needed in the Eastern Europe and neighboring countries to ensure women are leading the way towards more equitable and sustainable solutions to climate change? Moderator: Mrs. Iordanca-Rodica IORDANOV , State Secretary, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova, TBC Followed by interactive moderated discussions with reflections from the side of CSOs, experts, and youth 11.25-12.25 Session 2: Actions to be taken to make the required changes Interactive moderated discussions Participants are invited to share views on: What are the best practices and examples of success stories of women-led climate projects and highlighting the uniq ue contribution women have made to the climate movement in the Eastern Europe and Neighboring countries? How to increase financing for gender-just climate solutions to build the resilience of women and girls to climate impacts and disaster risks? What are the key messages and take aways to bring to and advocate for at CSW66 global consultations? Moderator: _________________ 12.25 - 12.30 Wrap-up by Alia El- Yassir , UN Women Regional Director, Europe and Central Asia Closing remarks by HE Mr. Mar cel Spatari , Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Republic of Moldova Resource materials: UN SG report for CSW66 - Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes CSW 66 Expert Group Meeting – resource materials, experts position papers UN Women Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2021 Keep the promise, accelerate the change: Taki ng stock of gender equality in Europe and Central Asia 25 years after Beijing , October 2020 (English version) Russian version - regional beijing report ru.pdf (unwomen.org)
Saatja: DPAEFB MMPS <
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Saadetud: 15.02.2022 18:58
Adressaat: SM Info <
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Teema: Sub-regional consultations - Untapped potential: Expanding women's
leadership and voice on climate, environmental and disaster risk
reduction policies and actions in the Eastern Europe and neighbouring
countries.
Good evening!
Please find attached the invitation from the Government of the Republic
of Moldova to participate in the sub-regional consultations under the
theme of: Untapped potential: Expanding women's leadership and voice on
climate, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and actions
in the Eastern Europe and neighbouring countries .
Best regards,
Organising team.
MINISTERUL MUNCII $I PROTECTIEI SOCIALE AL RBPUBLICII MOI,DOVA
MINISTRY OF LABOR AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OF TIIE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
MI4HLICTEPCTBO TPyAA L{ COUr,IAJIbHOr134IIIr4Tr,r pECIIy6Jrr.rKr4 MOJIAOBA
str. Vasile Alecsandri 2,MD-2009, mun. Chigindu
Tel. +373 22268883,+37322268816; e-mail: secretar.iat(@social.gov.md web: hrrps:i/social.gor,.mtl
No.08/510 - 14.02.2022 Mrs. Kiithlin Sander,
Ilead of Gender Equality Department,
Ministry of Social Affairs of Ilstonia
Dear Mrs. Kiithlin Sonder,
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, I would like to grect you and have
the privilege to inform you on the following.
The sixty-six session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be held in
NewYork from 14 to25March2022. This session is organized underthe Priority theme: Achieving
gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change,
environmental and disaster risk reduction policies, and programmes. UN Secretary General report
to CSW66 is available on the CSW66 website and expected to support the planned discussions.
In the spirit of localizing CSW66 and in support of partners in their preparations and
contributions to the CSW session in March, the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the UN
Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia are convening online sub-regional consultations
under the theme of: Untapped potential: Expanding women's leuilership ancl voice on clinmte,
environmental and dissster risk reduction policies and actions in the Eastern liurope and
neig lt b o uring co untries.
The consultations will serve to take stock of the current progress in terms of achieving gender
equality and women's empowerment in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk
reduction policies, as well as discuss the main challenges and obstacles and agree on the main actions
to be taken to make the required changes.
We are kindly inviting you to participate in and contribute to the sub-regional consultations
scheduled for 4 March 2022 starting at 11:00 Istanbul time. We would highl), appreciate an
intervention of 3 to 5 minutes with regards to the progress achieved in terms of achieving gender
equality and women's empowerment in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk
reduction policies, but as well the main challenges and related obstacles.
We would also be grateful for your recommendation of experts from the relevant state bodies
from your country to attend and contribute meaningfully to the planned consultations.
We would highly appreciate a confirmation for the participation by 21 February on the e-mail
address dpaefb(Esocial.eov.md. Please find attached concept note with the suggested agenda for the
consultations for your consideration.
Please accept assurances ofour highest consideration.
Sincerely,
Marcel SPATAIII
Minister of Labour and Social Protection
of the Republic of Moldova