In preparation for the G20 summit in Hamburg from 7 to 8 July, representatives of civil society attended the “Civil 20” or C20 summit at Hafen City University, Hamburg. The highlight of the two-day event was a panel discussion with Chancellor Angela Merkel, who held the G20 presidency this year, with officially handing over the recommendations of the civil society to her.

WECF was represented on both days at the C20 summit, organized by VENRO and the Forum for Environment and Development, and participated in three workshops on expert panels on water/sanitation and on women´s empowerment.

Access to resources strengthens women

Johanna Eichermüller, our junior energy expert, was invited to the panel of the “Gender & Economic Empowerment” workshop led by the Marie-Schlei-Association, explaining that access to resources is necessary to strengthen women, especially in terms of energy, water and sanitation, but also access to financial resources and education. The question of economic equality between women and men was discussed on the basis of legal changes and instruments such as gender budgeting, gender mainstreaming and access to finance. According to WECF, the involvement at local level, for example in the form of a cooperative, is decisive. Our example of the civil society cooperatives in Georgia was explained in the forum on climate policy, environmental and social justice by using the example of China as the potential for economic and social development can be developed through participatory and gender-appropriate participation models.

International solidarity & local participation

Another workshop focused on human rights on water and sanitation. Together with EuSAIN, Forum for Environment and Development, and Catedra del Dialogo, we reaffirmed that access to water and sanitation must be at the core of economic and social development and food security. Claudia Wendland, our water and sanitation expert, presented an example from Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, that this goal can be achieved if international solidarity and local participation play together: funding for the renovation of the water supply came from France and the management has been taken over locally by a inclusive, community-based organization.

The organizers call on the G20, among others:

• To ensure gender equality in all countries
• Providing women access to resources
• To implement human rights on water and sanitation within the framework of SDG6
• To take responsibility for the sustainable use of water in agriculture and to ensure the preservation of healthy water ecosystems

All civil society recommendations to the G20 on agriculture and food security, environment and water, health, inequality, gender equality and social inclusion, reform of the international financial system, sustainable investment and the role of the private sector, as well as sustainability in climate and energy English language here.