The ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE campaign is a recognition that we cannot end violence against women without ending all intersecting forms of oppression and injustice: poverty, racism, homophobia, war, the plunder of the environment, capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy.
The impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are different for women and men. Women from low-income communities, Indigenous women, and those in developing countries bear a heavier burden from the impacts of climate change because they are more reliant upon natural resources for survival, or they inhabit areas with poor infrastructure, or their rights are being violated.
Due to extreme and increasing droughts, women and girls in Africa have to walk long distances to fetch drinking water foregoing economic opportunities and education. Women walk further into the forest to search for fuel wood, putting them more at risk to be attacked and raped. Women make up 20 of the 26 million estimated refugees displaced by climate change, comprising 80% of the world’s climate refugees.
Because women are responsible for food production and the collection of water and fuel wood, they are particularly aware of changing weather patterns that alter growing seasons, decrease crop yields and lower water levels. This knowledge is essential to adaption and mitigation strategies. When these women farmers are empowered and own more than 1% of land and wealth, we will see food security.
Women in North America determine 80 percent of all consumer purchases. That market power could be mobilized to significantly reduce carbon emissions through purchasing choices, including demanding an end to fossil fuels and a radical increase in renewable energy. We imagine women demanding a change to endless economic growth models and to current consumption patterns that are destroying our Earth.
We can’t ignore the historical and interrelated destructive treatment of both women and nature in our current dominator model of societies. The longstanding history of violating the Earth and violating women is deeply rooted in the same problem and societal imbalances. To achieve long term solutions, we will need to deal with root causes and systemic change and this will mean liberating the silenced and oppressed voices of women and nature.
Together we stand for the Earth and future generations.
In collaboration with One Billion Rising For Justice, on February 14, 2014, WECAN (Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network) will take ACTION for Mother Earth and Climate Justice!
Join us and photograph or video what climate justice looks like for your community. We want to continue to express urgency, climate justice, solutions and the need to act now.
- Showcase climate injustice in your community like an activist who is highlighting the effects of the tar sands pipeline.
- Document solutions, testimonies and successes of environmental/climate justice –like the activist chronicling her organic farm and local women farmers showing how local organic farms are key to climate change solutions.
- Sign the WECAN Declaration
- Upload photos and videos here
- See all the WECAN Women and Climate Justice Actions here: www.wecaninternational.org
- Download the WECAN logo
We encourage you to represent your own organization and also the collective action by showing the WECAN logo and WECAN Declaration, so there is both an individual statement and a collective action. WECAN’s Four Guiding Principles are the Rights of Women, the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Rights of Nature and the Rights of Future Generations.
Osprey Orielle Lake, Founder/President, Women’s Earth and Climate Caucus and Co-Founder WECAN www.wecaninternational.org
Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network participants and supporters of Women and Climate Justice Day of Action with 1Billion Rising. #rise4justice #WECAN_INTL
– Climate Change & Development NGO Alliance
– European Institute of Law, Science, and Technology
– Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM)
– SIGLO XXIII and MUSEO AJA
– Moroccan Youth and Climate
– Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)
– Reacción Climática
– Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA)
– Sweet Africa Foundation – http://www.gen-africa.org
– Environmental Forum of Marin
– Sustainable Obtainable Solutions
– Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network
– International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
– Hiwot Hailu, Activist
– Indigenous Environmental Network
– Voice of Women Maldives
– 1 Million Women
– Earth Circle, Women’s Donor Network
– Global Ecovillage Network Europe
– President Halonens Office, Finland
– GGCA Uganda
– Sustainable Waste Design
– Solar Sisters
– SAFECO – Synergy of Congolese Women’s Associations
– Loli Aniau, Makaala Aniau – (Climate Change Climate Alert CCCA)
– Gathering Tribes and Idle No More
– The Global Call for Climate Action (GCCA)
– National Farmers Union of Canada
– Nobel Women’s Initiative
– Captain Planet Foundation
– NEFIN Global Climate Change
– Global Forest Coalition
– Chintan International Trust