Event

The seventh bi-monthly Sharing & Learning Seminar was organized on the theme “Gender and Adaptation to Climate Change” on 26 August 2011. The seminar shared and discussed:

1) Gender-related differences in vulnerabilities and adaptation to climate change
2) Gender responsive climate change adaptation initiatives and lessons learned
3) Gender responsive climate change adaptation policies and policy processes at national, regional and global levels

Daisuke Sano, Director of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and AnnaMaria Olthorp, Head of the Development Cooperation Section at the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) presented opening remarks. Aban Marker Kabraji, Asia Regional Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) gave her keynote address, suggesting that further research into gender-specific climate change could be conducted and emphasising the need to target the root causes of gender inequality in every aspect of sustainable development initiatives.

After an introductory video on rural women and climate change was shown, the first session began with the presentations by Deepa Bharathi of UN Women East and Southeast Asia Regional Office and Babette P. Resurreccion of the Asian Institute of Technology. They explained about gender-related differences in impacts of, and vulnerabilities to, climate change, and their underlying causes. The second session touched upon actual programme initiatives on gender responsive climate change adaptation. Bruce Ravesloot of the CARE International Asia and Jonathan Shott of the Sustainable Development Foundation introduced examples and lessons observed from their organisations’ initiatives. The last session highlighted challenges on gender responsive climate change adaptation policies and policy processes at national, regional and global levels. Sylvia Ordonez of the Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics shared challenges faced during the legislative process for incorporating a gender-sensitive perspective in national climate change programs in the Philippines, and Lucy Wanjiru of the UNDP New York presented key principles and approaches promoted for global- and regional-level gender advocacies and lessons learnt from the experiences, using the cases on the Global Gender and Climate Alliance and Women Delegates Fund.   

The three sessions were followed by group discussions facilitated by Sophoan Phean of the East Asia Regional Office of Oxfam America. The participants exchanged their own knowledge and views on the following key issues:

• Potential traps and pitfalls in efforts to integrate concerns with gender in climate change adaptation initiatives; and
• Specific, highly innovative ways, through which adaptation related activities could help transform gender relations in development. 

The seminar ended with a synthesis remark by Ulamila Kurai Wragg, Women Delegates Fund member, and adieu to Toshinao Okayama, the coordinator of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network who concluded his stint with the Network in August 2011.

Related files

›› Synthesis Report
›› Flyer

Presentations

›› Climate Change and Legislation: A Philippine Experience
   Sylvia Ordonez

›› Gender and Adaptation to Climate Change
   Babette P. Resurrección, Ph.D, Gender & Development Studies, Asian Institute of Technology 

›› Gender and Climate Change Adaptation – Cambodia
   Sophoan Phean, Regional Policy Advisor, Oxfam America, EARO 

›› Gender Differentials in Climate Change: Vulnerability to Adaptation
   Deepa Bharathi, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)

›› Gender-Responsive Climate Change Adaptation Policies and Policy at Regional and International Level
    Lucy Wanjiru, Programme Specialist Gender and Environment, Bureau of Development Policy/Gender Team, United Nations Development Programme, New York 

›› Gender-Responsive Climate Change Adaptation Practices: Examples and Lessons Observed
    Bruce Ravesloot, CARE International, Poverty, Environment and Climate Change Network

›› Integrating Gender Issues: Lessons from the Tsunami
   Jonathan Shott, Sustainable Development Foundation

›› People’s Survival Fund Bill: Senate Committee on Climate Change
   Sylvia Ordonez