Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

November 6, 2015

WECAN: Indigenous Women Climate Events at Paris Climate Summit

Women Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change
Dear Women,
Thank you to everyone who joined the COP21 Update & Organizing Call yesterday. Below please find important notes and links from the call, meant to help you engage with the women's movement for climate justice at COP21 climate negotiations and beyond.
5 November, 2015
WECAN International COP21 Update & Organizing Call Notes
Call Topics:
  • Resources on women & climate justice 
  • Action Points to get involved in COP21 climate negotiations where ever you are located
  • Opportunities & event for allies in Paris this December
  • WECAN International's action & events in Paris during COP21
  • Report back on the Global Women's Climate Justice Day of Action 
Background Materials:
  • Updated Release: Women's Climate Action Agenda:  wecaninternational.org/uploads/cke_documents/WECAN-Agenda-update-2016c.pdf  
    • WECAN will use the Action Agenda as the core of our advocacy work during COP21 and will continue efforts to distribute it to world governments and movement leaders.
    • Update released last week with two new chapters; 'Health and Climate' & 'Trade & Climate Change'
    • Download and share widely!
  • Women's Climate Declaration - wecaninternational.org/declaration 
    • 10 million plus signatures & counting collected as part of the 'Movement to Action Campaign' with Tcktcktck & 30 partner orgs
    • Available in 5 languages to read/sign/share
    • Signatures to be delivered at COP21 climate negotiations! Please support us as we take action to get many more signatures throughout November! (Signature collection and advocacy with the Declaration will also continue after COP)
    • There are key demands in the Declaration including: immediately keeping 80% fossil fuels in the ground, reforestation, financing a just transition to 100% renewable energy, a climate agreement that stays below 1.5 degrees, respecting Indigenous rights, rights of nature, gender equality and gender responsive climate policies. 
Ways to get involved with COP21 even if you are not in Paris
  • Sign the appeal to COP21 negotiators on gender & climate
    • Sent out by the French High Council for Gender equality following AN event held in France on October 16th (Les femmes s'engagent pour le climat) which launched an appeal to negotiators to reflect gender in the Paris outcome. 
    • French language information and portal for signatures:                       www.femmesetclimat.fr/
    • English translation of appeal (click here to download) 
    • Shared via Aira Kalela, delegate of the UNFCCC  
  • Join people's movement marches and street actions in Paris or your region
     
    • Nov 28/29 Global Climate March - find a local march/event in your region or organize a march - global mobilization map and details at: 350.org/paris
      • WECAN & worldwide allies will march as a women's bloc in Paris. Details will be announced soon - please be welcome to email us at emily@wecaninternational.org if you would like to march with us.
    • Dec 12 Mass Mobilization on the streets of Paris, details TBA - there are also various local direct actions, info to be posted on the 350.org & coalitionclimat21.org as they become available
  • Engage with the WECAN network on social media for updates from COP21 - we also ask you to please share the WECAN TwitterFacebook, and newsletter far and wide so that many more allies can join us as we share and uplift voices of women for climate justice. (More details in the 'Connect with WECAN' section at the bottom of the notes)
WECAN Events & Actions in Paris during COP21: 
  • WECAN to be in Paris with a delegation inside negotiations and at outside events and in the streets in people's movement marches
  • Main messages/goals: demand and foster justice for women and the earth as we work to address climate change.  Grow women's leadership and show the power of women protecting the web of life around the world.  Work for women's representation at all levels and increased visibility of our struggles and solutions. Advocate for systemic changes to our economy and legal framework's around nature, connecting inequality and climate change, keeping fossil fuels in the ground, a just transition to 100% renewable energy, and serious action to keep under a 1.5 degree global temperature increase.
  • Dec.7: 'Women Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change - Paris'
    • 13 - 18:30 at the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel
    • Free & open to the public
    • An extraordinary gathering of worldwide women standing in solidarity to speak out against environmental and social injustice, draw attention to root causes of the climate crisis, and present the diverse strategies and visions with which they are working for systemic change and a healthy and equitable world. This event is organized with the conviction that real forward movement towards climate justice depends on the full and equal participation of women in all stages of decision-making and implementation. Women have always been on the frontlines, now it is time for them to be at the forefront. 
    • View the line-up of outstanding speakers and register at:wecaninternational.org/pages/wecan-cop21
    • The WECAN team is working to set up online live-streaming of the event, we will share details soon and ask you to help spread the word!
  • Dec. 8: 'Global Women & Indigenous Peoples on the Frontline of Climate Solutions: Forests & Renewable Energy' 
    • Formal COP21 side event, accreditation required
    • 15:00-16:30, Blue Zone Room #3
    • A formal COP21 side event during which we will examine the Women's Climate Action Agenda, present the Indigenous Sarayaku people of Ecuador's "Living Forest" proposal, and showcase women as agents of change in the transition to 100% renewable energy.
  • Dec. 4 and 5 - International Rights of Nature Tribunal,
    • Info & registration: therightsofnature.org/rights-of-nature-tribunal-paris/
    • A unique, citizen-created initiative providing an opportunity for people from across the globe to testify publicly on destruction of the Earth and their communities, while advancing an alternative legal framework for living in harmony with the Earth. The Tribunal will feature internationally renowned lawyers and leaders for planetary justice, who will hear cases addressing issues such as climate change, GMOs, fracking, and extractive industries, and offer recommendations for the Earth's protection based on the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth. 
    • The Tribunal is organized by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, on whose Steering Committee WECAN serves.
Other COP21 events in Paris (see coalitionclimat21.org
  • Nov. 30 - Dec 11: Women's Solutions Exhibit sponsored by Women and Gender Constituency  Pavillion next to COP venue: located in the Espace Generation Climat in Le Bourget, next to official conference center: www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/pratical-arrangements/paris-le-bourget-site
  • Nov 28: 'Feminists for Climate Justice' event with French fem orgs, Auditorium of the City Hall of Paris, www.adequations.org/spip.php?article2330
  • Dec 5 & 6: Village Mondial des Alternatives (Global Alternatives Village)
  • Dec 6: Global Landscape Forum (GLF)
  • Dec 8: World March of Women assembly in the Climate Action Zone at Centquatre Salle 200, 14h-15:50h
Global Women's Climate Justice Day of Action report-back:
  • Thank you to everyone for your powerful participation in this very successful action! 
  • Explore and share worldwide actions here: wecaninternational.org/global-womens-climate-justice-mobilization
  • Women from 50 countries on every continent took action as part of Sept 29 Day of Action - uniting to show resistance to environmental degradation and demonstrate what real climate solutions look like
  • Stories collected on action gallery and dispersed via social media, picked up by worldwide media agencies who found these stories to be important headed in to COP21
  • Voices will be carried to COP21 climate negotiations via WECAN's advocacy work inside delegations, and a photo presentation to be shared during WECAN's December 7 'Women Leading Solutions' event - If you have not yet, be welcome to add your voice now so that it can be included in Paris efforts
  • Sept 29 hub event/4 hour mini-summit was held in New York across from the United Nations during UN general assembly. Short video coming soon!
  • Read & share articles on the Day of Action & Sept 29 hub event in NYC
Stay connected with WECAN through COP21 & beyond
Please do not hesitate to reach out to with any comments or questions! 
All the best,

Emily Arasim
Women's Earth & Climate Action Network Communications Coordinator
emily@wecaninternational.org

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