Women, Girls Must Be at Centre of Efforts to Address Climate Emergency, Create Greener World, Deputy Secretary-General Says in Video Message for International Observance
(Delayed for technical reasons)
Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the United Nations observance of International Women’s Day 2022, observed on 8 March:
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to join you in celebrating the women and girls who are working to create a gender-responsive and greener world.
Gender equality, climate action and the environment are inextricably linked. We will never address the climate emergency or create the sustainable, inclusive economies and societies of the future without the contributions of half of humanity.
The inspiring women and girls who shared their stories today are, like so many others, important agents of change who have overcome barriers to become dynamic and effective leaders. They, and the many women and girls like them, must be integral to designing sustainable policies, addressing the climate crisis and building environmental resilience.
As we conclude today’s programme, I urge everyone to take five urgent steps.
First, increase investments in gender-responsive climate solutions that recognize the needs of women and girls. Second, build the resilience of women and girls to climate impacts and disaster risk, including by repealing laws that prevent them from owning and inheriting land. Third, enable and allow women and girls to lead in designing climate initiatives.
Fourth, integrate comprehensive programmes on gender-based violence into climate responses. And fifth, ensure that climate change discussions are rooted in the experiences and perspectives of women and girls from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Dear friends,
We can only address the climate emergency — and the many other challenges we face — with women and girls at the centre of our efforts, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as our blueprint. Today, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us commit to taking urgent action to build a more equal and more sustainable future for all.
Thank you.