MINISTER FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION MERESEINI VUNIWAQA AT THE 2ND CONVENTION OF FIJI WOMEN DEFENDING THE COMMONS

05/12/2019


  • The organizers - Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality and Pacific Partnership for Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (PPGCCSD)
  • Facilitators
  • Members of the Civil Society
  • Participants (from around Fiji)
  • Ladies and Gentlemen
 
Good morning,
It gives me great joy to join you all this morning to officially open the second ‘Convention of Fiji Women Defending the Commons’. This important Convention will be an intensive, creative and fun three-day intergenerational engagement of over eighty women climate activists and community leaders from urban poor, rural and remote Fiji. I am told that today in this room we have participants from Suva, Nausori, Nadroga, Nadi, Lautoka, Rakiraki, Taveuni, Labasa, Savusavu, Yasawa Islands, Levuka, Gau, Koro Island, Kadavu, and I must congratulate Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality and Pacific Partnership for Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (PPGCCSD) for successfully making the coming together of so many women from diverse backgrounds and from around the country possible.

DIVA for Equality, PPGCCSD and their allies nationally, regionally and globally (inside and outside Governments, the UN, development institutions, communities and social movements) have worked more and more together since 2011 on climate change and DRR in Pacific SIDS. Together they recognize the urgency for women-led, locally articulated feminist and human rights-oriented response to gender inequalities, climate injustice and Disaster Risk Reduction.
 
The core work of DIVA for Equality, is to assist to create safe, creative and transformative local-led spaces where diverse women and their communities come together to strategically work for social, economic, ecological and climate justice. This is crucial right now to support authentic, effective and sustainable local response, including by Fijian and Pacific women climate activists at grassroots levels, in order for a 1.5 degrees Celsius world to be possible, and for survival of small island climate frontline States and the planetary ecospheric system.
 
As far back as the Suva Declaration on Climate Change in 2015, Fiji and other Pacific Governments acknowledged that addressing gender based inequality and discrimination is essential for effective action on climate change and stated the importance of engaging, as equal partners, civil society, women, youth and persons with disabilities, in all efforts towards building climate change resilience.

This has been reiterated in various national, regional and global commitments as Pacific governments have led and pushed political will in these multilateral spaces, even as some key global Governments have shown signs of regressive policy and action.

The climate crisis is rooted in a socio-economic model that is damaging people and the planet, while increasing existing inequalities and violence within and between States. In maintaining such a system there is increased pressure on many individuals and communities struggling for access to natural resources, and against inadequate solutions. Structural inequalities, gender-based violence and discrimination exacerbate impacts of climate change.

Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty and due to existing roles, responsibilities and cultural norms. Ladies and gentlemen, Climate Change surely has gender differentiated impacts. Firstly, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, threats to water and food production, all have differential impacts on the lives of women and men. Women and men have different capabilities, opportunities and access to resources to facilitate the adaptation to changing climate which adversely impacts the availability of food, fuel and water.
 
Moreover, women, due to historical discrimination and biases in both the formal and informal labour markets as well as cultural and social practices, have less assets, income and savings to deal with the loss and damages from extreme weather events. Climate change-related events that impact water resource to communities place increasing burden on women’s care and social reproduction work.
 
Furthermore, women, as a group, relative to men, as a group, have different possibilities for recovering from frequent and intensive periods of droughts, floods and hurricanes. Globally, women and children die disproportionately more than men from extreme weather events such as floods, hurricanes and storms. The effects of climate change also place rural women and girls at greater risks for bodily injury, rape and harassment when they must travel further and further away from home to secure household drinking water, fuel and food
 
51% of humanity and 49% of the Fijian population is comprised of women and girls. It is critical that the needs, perspectives, and ideas of women, as well as of men, are included in climate action so as to create just, effective, and sustainable solutions.
Rural and Indigenous women have experienced the impacts of climate change for generations and have been forerunners and leaders in environmental conservation. Their knowledge and expertise contributes greatly to building resilience to climate impacts and to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The traditional skills and knowledge that women have relating to natural resource management in areas such as innovation, waste and energy are effective tools in climate action strategies.
 
The Fijian Government aims to empower women at various levels through its national policies and programs. Government recognizes that women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes and labor markets compound inequalities and often prevent women from fully contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and implementation. In dealing with our climate crisis, the Fijian Government has been promoting the participation and involvement of women in climate action at the local, regional and international levels. Government also supports the Civil Society in their vision and action in promoting women’s empowerment and participation in adapting to climate change and building resilience for a sustainable future.
 
At the end of this workshop participants will have an improved individual and group understanding of key gender, human rights and social organizing concepts using simple feminist tools; improved understanding of the ecological Commons, the development State, gender and climate change, and their meaning in their own lives; increased understanding of gender inequality issues linking with ecological justice, climate and DRR actions and process in Fiji and PSIDS, increased knowledge of climate organizations/alliances in Fiji, and how participants can be part of/work with/draw on resources of these organizations/alliances in many useful ways; increased networking between local, national and regional institutions and groups working on gender, environment, climate justice and DRR in Fiji and broader-regional and global; and an improved understanding of how global economic and multilateral systems impact our
Commons resources.
 
It is safe to say that investing in women and girls creates ripple effects felt throughout entire communities and countries. Communities do better in resilience and capacity building strategies when women are also involved in planning. As I have mentioned already, women are usually first responders in community responses to natural disasters, leaders in disaster risk-reduction, and contribute to post disaster recovery by addressing the early recovery needs of their families and strengthening community building. I once again acknowledge DIVA for Equality and Pacific Partnership for Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development for ensuring the role of rural women and girls in building resilience in climate change is enhanced and supported.
I wish you the best for a productive deliberation and great learning in making women-led, locally articulated feminist and human rights-oriented response to gender inequalities, climate injustice and Disaster Risk Reduction a reality in Fiji, especially through your engagements at the community level.
 
With these words, I declare the 2nd Convention of Fiji Women Defending the Commons open.
 
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and safe travels back home.
 
Thank you