SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, Calif., October 27, 2016 - Beginning tomorrow, women and girls from around the world will raise their voices and take action to highlight the dire climate change impacts they are facing; demonstrate their solutions and strategies to address the climate crisis; and share their messages to world governments and United Nations officials gathering for the UNFCCC COP22 Morocco climate talks.

 

‘Women Act for Climate Justice: Ten Days of Global Mobilization’ is a decentralized action campaign happening in communities around the world from October 28th to November 6, 2016. Women will share photos and messages, and take action to resist environmental and social degradation; spotlight local climate change impacts; demand change from unjust social, economic and development systems; and demonstrate the many effective, just and safe climate solutions, strategies and political calls that are being implemented by women and girls around the world on a daily basis.

 

Diverse exemplifying photos and statements will be available on an online Action Gallery, woven together across social media and news platforms worldwide, and shared as part of events on the ground in Morocco during COP22.

 

Many women will also organize actions such as town-hall or village meetings, vigils and demonstrations, rallies, sit-ins, marches, educational events, art projects, and other events and statements to showcase the local climate struggles and solutions of women leaders and their communities.

 

The ‘Women Act for Climate Justice’ mobilization will demonstrate the collective actions and voices of global women and girls in the lead up to COP22, but also far beyond the UNFCCC in Morocco.

 

“The system that undermines indigenous peoples’ rights and exacerbate gender inequalities is the very same that fuels the climate crisis, namely the unfettered capitalist system that considers growth as the unique legitimate objective. In the lead up of COP 22, women are demanding fair, ambitious and sustainable rules for the implementation of the Paris agreement, including the drastic reduction of production and consumption patterns in industrialised countries, the promotion of decentralised, gender-sensitive and locally-driven economies, the respect of the right to free prior informed consent of indigenous peoples and the immediate halt of the negotiations of free trade agreements that put climate policies and other social considerations at risk.” stated Alma Sinumlag, member of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Philippines

 

“From Fiji to Haiti, from Australia to the DR Congo and everywhere in between - women are standing up to demand that their voices for climate justice and systemic change are brought to the forefront of all climate change policymaking and implementation programs. Around the world, women face the impacts of the climate change first and worst, yet simultaneously, hold the keys to meaningful, equitable and effective climate solutions that are commensurate with the escalating crisis we face. With the voices of Indigenous, grassroots and frontline women leading the way, this October 28-November 6, we rise to decry environmental devastation and intertwined social violation, while taking action to show that the just, equitable and healthy world we seek is attainable, and on its way through the work and vision of women for climate justice around the world.” stated Osprey Orielle Lake, Executive Director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International

 

“Women and girls and our communities around Fiji and the Pacific are mobilising for the 10 days of global action from October 28 to November 6 2016!From urban areas to rural villages and remote settlements in small islands, we are coming together with women from every region to say, NO MORE! No more damage to our Commons, no more sand mining ruining ancient and culturally significant sand dunes that protect us from the rising waves. No more selling precious water to rich people overseas. No more false carbon trading solutions. Most of all, we want right now to affirm the roles, strategies and rising strength of women defenders of the Commons, and women human rights defenders. We are working together, in all our diversities as never before. Adi Finau Tabakaucoro of Nai i Soqosoqo Vakamarama i Taukei, Fiji’s oldest women’s network   said, “Climate justice means that we must all save and protect our environment. If others are being irresponsible about the Commons, let us help to make them make responsible decisions.. We must act quickly, and together.” stated Noelene Nabulivou, DIVA for Equality, and Pacific Partnerships on Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (PPGCCSD), Fiji.

 

"As women, we call to the Bolivian Government and all world governments to stop looking for oil and hydrocarbons in indigenous territories without previous informed consent and consultation processes, and to respect the traditional ways of living, and to respect ancestral territories...We call for policies that promote and implement environmental friendly energies like solar and eolic sources, and for a stop to the implementation of projects that are considered to be false solutions like nuclear and hydroelectric mega dams in the tropical forest, which increase the climatic, environmental and social crisis that we are facing." stated Carmen Capriles, Environmental Defender with Reacción Climática, Bolivia

 

A diverse group of ‘Women Act for Climate Justice: Ten Days of Global Mobilization’ spokes-women are ready to engage with press at any time.

 

Full details, submission portal and global action gallery available at: wecaninternational.org