4 December 2023, Dubai UAE - The Pacific Region’s Political Champion for Gender and Social Inclusion, Hon. Mona Ainuu, of Niue says the outcomes from COP28 must be inclusive and responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable communities, especially girls, women and children.
Hon. Ainuu, who is Niue’s Minister of Natural Resources, says issues of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) cannot be tucked away and hidden at the corner.
“We need to emphasise and affirm that climate change and disasters, including nuclear contamination, have a disproportional impact on children, youth, women and girls in all their diversity, particularly those living with a disability and living in rural areas,” she said.
“We will not meet the 1.5degree Celsius goal, or any other goal without women’s full contribution to our most vulnerable communities and marginalised groups. It is critical that GESI issues and concerns are embedded across all priorities for climate action so that the action taken are responsive to their unique situations.”
Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty. Women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes and labour markets compound inequalities and often prevent women from fully contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and
At COP 28, the UNFCCC has placed a strong focus on addressing gender issues and financing gender-responsive just transitions and climate action, acknowledging the impact of climate change on marginalised groups and the importance of gender-responsive climate finance.
Hon. Ainuu said more needs to be done to ensure an inclusive COP.
“I continue to advocate for an inclusive COP,” she said. “What does this look like? Well, it means that gender equality and social inclusion is in the final language of the Global Stocktake, including and providing an opportunity for countries to strengthen the gender and socially inclusive, responsive climate priorities, policies and actions.
“An inclusive COP means GESI is mainstreamed in all priority areas of negotiations especially adaptation, just transition, loss and damage and finance. An inclusive COP means an increase of meaningful and equal participation of women and marginalised groups in climate action.
“An inclusive COP means investing in robust gender action plans national focal points of climate change and gender and opportunities for capacity building and support, working with Pacific regional organisations.”
Hon. Ainuu is the Member of Parliament for the village of Tuapa Uhomotu, in Niue, and is the Pacific’s first Political Champion for Gender.
“For me as the gender champion, I’ve spoken in many forums about gender inclusivity and social inclusion. So when I became a Minister, and getting the role of political champion for gender in climate change, it was important for me to push my government to have a balanced Cabinet, which we have now,” she said. “I also call on Pacific governments to allow women to be at the table. There are just over 40 women Parliamentarians in the Pacific, unfortunately in the five meetings I’ve been to prior to this meeting, I am the only woman Minister so I call on our brothers in the Pacific to allow more women to be at the decision-making table.”
She also referred the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific continent, and the value this key document has placed on gender equality and social inclusion.
“We need to value our people, our resources, tradition, and culture. How do you value these when it comes to loss and damage? I’m a mother of a 12-year-old, how do I value my contribution to ensure her future means something when she grows up,” she said.
“At COP28, I’m very hopeful that we walk away with meaningful inclusive outcomes and solutions to address climate change, especially for our grassroots people, our women, our mothers. As mothers, we all know that we are there before during and after disasters. We carry life for nine months and that must mean something. Gender is not just about women and men, it’s about all of us.”
The 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP28) in Dubai, UAE is taking place from Thursday 30 November 2023 – Tuesday 12 December 2023.
It is being attended by Pacific leaders and their delegations, who are advocating for the survival of Pacific communities who continue to be at the forefront of climate change impacts.
A key part of amplifying the One Pacific Voice at COP28 is the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion, which is a Pacific partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Another key part of the Pacific’s work at COP28 is the Pacific Delegation Office, which is Pacific partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand. Both the Moana Pacific Pavilion and the Pacific Delegation Office are managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).