GI-ESCR and Partners Host Panel at the CSW68 on Gender and Care Responsive Climate Policies

The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, together with the governments of Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia and Finland, the Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) hosted a side event at the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The event, 'A Care-led Transition Towards a Sustainable Future: Pathways to Address Poverty and the Climate Crisis with a Gender Lens', brought together experts from governments, intergovernmental organisations and civil society to share experiences and good practices. 

• Alejandra Lozano, GI-ESCR’s Programme Officer on Climate and Environmental Justice, moderated the discussion and encouraged the focus on the need for transitions to environmentally sustainable societies to encompass holistic policies to support the care economy
• Cindy Quesada Hernández, the Minister of the Status of Women from Costa Rica, discussed the national experience in ecosystem protection and how those policies have been key in addressing structural conditions of poverty. The Minister also discussed how those policies had integrated an approach to support care systems and realise women’s rights.
• Laura Rissanen, the State Secretary from the Ministry of Social Security of Finland, started evaluating the role of social security systems in tackling gender inequality exacerbated by climate breakdown. Additionally, Secretary Rissanen shared how the Finnish social protection systems help to alleviate unequal care responsibilities.
• Afterwards, Lucía Scuro, Senior Social Affairs Officer at ECLAC’s Division for Gender Affairs, explained ECLAC’s vision of a 'care society' and how it can be translated into effective policies to make the transition to a gender-equitable and sustainable future
• Ambassador Claudio Garrido, the Alternate Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations, shared insights from the experience of the newly created national care system in Chile. Furthermore, the Ambassador discussed how principles of gender equality and human rights had been implemented into policies for the transition to green, renewable energy systems to reduce care work for women and girls.
• Ambassador Arlene B. Tickner, the Alternate Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, touched upon the issue of financing. In particular, the Ambassador evaluated what policies and actions should be fostered and scaled-up to fund the decarbonisation of our economies while addressing women’s poverty and inequality.
• Sarah Hendriks, the Director of the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Support Division at UN Women proposed a vision for a just transition that supports care systems and promotes substantive gender equality
• Chidi King, Chief of the Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Branch at ILO, shared key policy recommendations to achieve the reduction of women’s time poverty and the support of care systems as part of just transition policies and frameworks
• Wedgan Hussein, PSI’s Africa and Arab countries WOC Vice-Chair of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Solidarity Staff Union in Egypt, evaluated the role that trade unions can play to deliver on a care-led transition to a sustainable future

With the organisation of this event, GI-ESCR aimed to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on the care economy. Furthermore, GI-ESCR seeks to continue to mobilise and engage partners in advocating for a care-centred transition that can lead to transformative solutions to recognise, revalue and equitably redistribute care, thus, advancing gender equality and women’s rights.

For a deeper understanding and additional perspectives on these matters, we invite you to explore our briefing paper, ‘A Care-led Transition Towards a Sustainable Future’. Click here. to access the document.