CSW66 side event, Western Balkans - Women leading the way towards more equitable and sustainable solutions to climate change

Climate change has an enormous impact on the Western Balkans, a region already highly vulnerable to natural disasters – climate-related and unrelated – such as droughts, floods, earthquakes, and mudslides. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis in Western Balkans, and most women in the region have no say on climate policies or the ways in which resources are allocated in this area, with rural women being completely excluded.

The region’s determination to fight climate change is reflected in the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (GAWB), adopted by the Western Balkan Leaders on the Sofia Summit in November 2020. The Western Balkan region committed to undertaking a major transformation to address, among others, the growing climate challenges by putting sustainable development, resource efficiency, nature protection and climate action in the center of all economic activities. In this respect, women are recognized as vital for the implementation of GAWB Action Plan, particularly in the midst of green recovery and sustainable green economy.

The side event will provide further insights into inextricable links between women and climate change, as well as it will raise importance on equal representation in fighting the climate crisis at the local, national and regional level. In line with the main theme of the CSW66, this side event will bring together key stakeholders, policymakers, and representatives of civil society organisations and private sector from the region to identify problems in gender equality and climate change and provide a platform for participants to exchange experiences and views on this topic. The panel will aim at raising awareness of the climate challenges that the region faces and raising importance of the GAWB as the most comprehensive Action Plan to fight climate change in the region.

Register here