UNECE Lunchtime Seminar Gender in Environment Key Challenges

UNECE: Lunchtime Seminar Gender in Environment Key Challenges and Success Stories Dr. Anke Stock – Women in Europe for a Common Future, WECF 27 February 2014

Content 1 Key areas of examples on challenges and success stories • Renewable energy/energy efficiency (Ukraine) • Water and sanitation (Kyrgyzstan) • Access to and management of natural resources (Tajikistan) 2 Examples (challenges, approaches, impact) 3 Conclusions

Energy (e. g. Ukraine) Challenges: - Energy poverty/low energy efficiency (in particular for rural population, women); - Lack of warm houses and warm water in winter (women and children particularly affected); - Unsustainable and time-consuming solutions; - Hygiene and general health problems.

Energy (e. g. Ukraine) Approach: - Participatory gender sensitive energy needs assessments; - Involvement of women; - Capacity-building (solar collectors, insulation, energy-efficient stoves); - Construction and maintenance/monitoring; - Financial mechanisms.

Energy (e. g. Ukraine) Impact: - Quality of live of women and other family members improved (health); - Ownership makes women to partners and experts – more capable to be climate resilient and to mitigate ecological impact (through awareness); - Information of policy-makers of these benefits (upscaling in Georgia – NAMAs).

Water and Sanitation (e. g. Kyrgyzstan) Challenges: - Lack of access to safe water and sanitation; - Water collection is time consuming (women’s chore); - Consequences for education, time and health; - Illnesses: infectious diseases, diarrhoea, blue baby disease

Water and Sanitation (e. g. Kyrgyzstan) Approach: - Awareness raising, capacity-building, trainings; - Involvement of women in d-m through CDWUU and in further policy-making; - Establishment of female “role-models” within communities.

Water and Sanitation (e. g. Kyrgyzstan) Impact: - Improved management of water resources; - Self-confidence leads to more participation; - Women’s participation in target-setting under PWH and Steering Committees of NWPD – needs oriented outcomes.

Access to and Management of Natural Resources (e. g. Tajikistan) Challenges: - High poverty rates; - Lack of rights and lack of awareness of rights amongst women; - Traditionally strong dependence on men; - High labour migration amongst men – women run households on their own despite lack of access to resources (land, credits, seeds, water).

Access to and Management of Natural Resources (e. g. Tajikistan) Approach: - Capacity-building; - Agricultural trainings; - Income generating activities; - Establishment of women’s groups (agricultural products).

Access to and Management of Natural Resources (e. g. Tajikistan) Impact: - Promotion of small-scale farming - sustenance; - Traditional knowledge becomes part of innovative approaches (e. g. organic farming); - Women’s groups involve on regional and national level; - Access to land/services and resources is part of international policy recommendations (e. g. to CEDAW).

Outcomes • Gender sensitive needs oriented solutions often innovative and more sustainable; • Importance of traditional knowledge re resource management kept (often by women); • Small-scale and decentralised technologies are more environmental friendly; • Local demonstration projects can be examples for development of national and international policies.

THANK YOU anke. stock@wecf. eu