In a special lunchtime event, in 22 of May, 2024, on the second day of SBI 4, coinciding with the International Day for Biodiversity, the CBD Women’s Caucus participated in the special celebrations of the 32-year journey of the Biodiversity Convention, that was adopted in the same room where delegates were conveyed that day.
The event commenced with a ceremonial tree planting at the UNON Compound in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants were representatives from host country Kenya, COP15 and COP16 presidencies, women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities, accompanied by David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the CBD, supported by technical experts.
The second part of the event included a high level panel with the interventions of Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director; John Elungata, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry of Kenya; H.E. Huang Runqiu, COP 15 President; Kelly Torck, Head of delegation of Canada (co-host of COP15); H.E. Pedro León Cortes Ruiz, Ambassador of Colombia; Ms. Joji Cariño, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity; Ms. Amelia Arreguín, CBD Women Caucus; Mr. Heitor Dellasta, Global Youth Biodiversity Network; Dr. Chirra Achalender Reddy, Chair of SBI4.
Ms Arreguín Prado addressed the audience with a strong and urgent call to action that reminded all delegates that “is everyone responsibility to ensure that the seed of gender justice we planted in COP15 keeps growing strong everyday, so that by 2030 we are able to see the fruits of our actions taken today, so that by 2030 we are effectively living in harmony with nature”.
Full statement delivered by Amelia Arreguín Prado, coordinator of the CBD Women’s Caucus:
Distinguished all,
As we celebrated Biodiversity day by planting a tree, that gave us the opportunity to think as Women’s Caucus on the full meaning of this action:
Women and girls, apart from planting trees, we all plant and nurture ideas and dreams for a better future. We plant and nurture trust in cooperation and solidarity. And we will continue planting until we see the fruits.
Our unique perspectives and knowledge have played the most important role in building humankind’s relationship with biodiversity. To put us back on track to make peace with nature, human rights – individual and collective – in the context of biodiversity shall be recognised, promoted and fulfilled.
Whether in urban or rural areas, in the vast savannah or deep into the tropical forests of the world, women and girls are present and part of the plan.
They do so with such a brave spirit, despite facing compounding burdens due to persistent gender inequality, discrimination and violence in the midst of the environmental crisis.
These dynamics have consolidated in a vicious/negative cycle as violations of women’s rights can lead to more loss of biodiversity and, conversely, the degradation of biodiversity can lead to further violations of women’s rights.
But women and girls do not have to be brave alone. We do not want to be brave alone.
We all are responsible to break that cycle.
It is imperative to address gender inequality and human rights violations in a comprehensive manner by recognising, promoting and fulfilling women’s rights and human rights while implementing all COP decisions in order to achieve both gender justice and biodiversity conservation.
We call on you all, on all of us, to ensure that the seed of gender justice we planted in COP15 keeps growing strong everyday, so that by 2030 we are able to see the fruits of our actions taken today, so that by 2030 we are effectively living in harmony with nature.
