Utrecht University organised the seminar in the light of the new CEDAW General Recommendation on gender-related dimensions of disasters in a changing climate.

The seminar treated the topic of climate change from a gender perspective, and in specific disaster risk reduction approaches related to gender. The CEDAW General Recommendation on gender-related dimensions of disaster risk reduction of climate change guided the discussion.

CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) is the UN’s convention and resulting committee that provides the legal backbone against gender discrimination. The new General Recommendation means to protect women’s positions and support their resilience in the case of a climate related disaster. Hilary Gbedemah, member of the CEDAW committee led the discussion and gave an introduction on the general recommendation after which the different panel members gave their opinions. Besides Irene Dankelman, member of our Board of Trustees, Richard Harvey (legal counsel Greenpeace International) and Joke van Wensem (Resilient Cities project leader) took part.

After ms. Gbedemah’s opening statement, the panel members gave their interpretation of the general recommendation and how it relates to their work in the field. Irene Dankelman concluded on a positive but watchful note: “Let’s support the general recommendation, but not only in words. Let’s think about how this can be implemented besides the institutions. Let’s think how civil society can build networks and act on it. Let’s communicate and give visibility on the general recommendation.”

The general recommendation has been subject to public consultation and will be finalized in early 2018, after which all parties are to adopt and report back on it.