African women unite against destructive resource extraction COP 21 REFLECTIONS

Transcription

1 African women unite against destructive resource extraction COP 21 REFLECTIONS

2 WoMin sent a delegation of 12 women activists to Paris in December 2015 to put forward, alongside other networks and movements, REAL SOLUTIONS that reflect the needs and interests of the majority of peasant and working-class women in Africa. WoMin s delegates were not accredited to participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Instead, we worked alongside our friends and allies, to deepen our own analysis and thinking about the alternatives, to think about how to strengthen our movements, and to strategise how to forge greater people-to-people solidarity. This was our task in Paris. The main countries supported to participate in Conference of the Parties (COP) organising are those at the forefront of an African women-led women s rights grassroots-driven regional campaign on fossil fuels, energy and climate justice: Uganda, South Africa, the DRC and Nigeria. We were supported by three people from the secretariat, all working on the campaign in different capacities, and a representative of a key partner organisation in Zimbabwe. WoMin joined hands with many partners (the Rural Women s Assembly, People s Dialogue, Franciscans International, Ibon International, the World March of Women, CIDSE, CCFD-Terre Solidaire and many others) to convene four platforms at the COP: 1. Women s movement-building for ecological and climate justice. 2. Women united for food energy and climate justice. 3. Towards a post-mining society and economy: we have the alternatives. 4. Africa is not for sale! A dialogue with African negotiators. We were also invited to join the spaces of many others to input and contribute: CCFD-Terre Solidaire, EDGE foundations, the Land and Water Convergence, the Campaign against Corporate Impunity convergence space, CIDSE, the Gaia Foundation, Friends of the Earth International, and others. WoMin produced a short briefing paper titled An African Ecofeminist Structural Perspective on the Paris Climate Negotiations in the weeks ahead of our departure to Paris. 2

3 MARTHA AGBANI (Nigeria) I had so many expectations for COP 21, especially as it wrapped up various millennium initiatives. I also knew that I would be exposed to new ideas on climate change negotiation and policies going forward. Some of these ideas include the phasing out of fossil fuels, new campaigns like Stop Fracking, change in focus on adaptation and mitigation, statements on compensation by polluters to non-polluters. There was also the initiation of new campaigns, such as Annex 0 countries, and the payment of compensation to such countries / groups for saving the planet. In addition, there was a mix of ideas on the acceptable level of global warming. This is set between 2 degrees Centigrade and 1.5 degrees Centigrade, but this seems to be a myth to me coming from the tropics, as an increase in weather conditions will simply mean increased death, disease and hunger. On the one hand, this mix of ideas drew some conclusions to the reason why agriculture is seen as a high climate polluter, but on the other hand it was not made a part of the main conference negotiations at Le Bourget. Based on inferences drawn from the feedback we received at the ZAC (Climate Action Zone, zone d action pour le climat), CCFD-Terre Solidaire meetings and some inspirations from the Women Assembly, a picture of the bourgeois having consistent control of the COP processes, especially in terms of its agenda and discussions, was made very clear. I also realised that business, corporate entities and governments were talking about climate change, but we (the climate-impacted people) canvassed for a system change. From the People s Assembly: ZAC It was a wonderful experience; it was another side of the divide for me, it was a democratic setting, where diverse campaigns, voices and issues were amplified. I connected with many groups and also identified missing links in the campaigns we have been doing back home. For instance, my identification with the La Via Campesina group (agriculturist, fisher folks, seed protectors, those evicted from their land and original habitat), all spoke of governments being accomplices, calling to mind the similarity of sufferings with the people of the Niger Delta. Other gains from the COP 21 Our participation in COP 21 and other side events meant we: gained knowledge, such as the history and makeup of COP, and received training listened, learned and shared divergent issues affecting different groups, like the indigenous peoples, forest peoples, labour unions and fisher folks with allied organisations such as CCFD-Terre Solidaire, Women Assembly, and Yes to Life No to Mining increased our horizons of types of intervention that can be taken up at the grassroots assisted in building new relationships and opportunities helped to popularise our individual country/regional issues showed that recycled materials can also be used as campaign materials, which means climate change campaigns do not need to be restricted to scientists, meteorologists or environmentalists but can also be driven by artists and agriculturists. 3

4 In-country action Having participated in the COP process, I am able to identify some gaps, which allows me to take the following steps back home: Carry out community sensitisation and awareness creation on the lessons from COP, establish where we are on climate change and what can be done to address the various climate change challenges in the various communities in which we work. Build the capacities of existing women in agriculture movements and those affected by governments land grabs on climate change and environmental sustainability. Pay courtesy visits to relevant government ministries responsible for climate change and try to understand and learn measures they have in place to address climate change in Nigeria, and particularly in the Niger Delta. Try to connect the dots between, business practices, community development and governments responsibility for a safe environment. Some catchy slogans at COP 21 It takes roots Peace is a climate solution Forest is life giver and not economic venture Crisis is the mother of inequality 4

5 BEATRICE RUKANYANGA (Uganda) COP 21 is an international conference where country representatives and heads of states discuss matters of climate change and negotiate. WoMin, with financial support from CCFD-Terre Solidaire, supported two women from Uganda (me and Patience Muramuzi) to participate in a series of climate change meetings and actions. WoMin and partners main activities with allies in Paris Women s movement-building for ecological and climate justice. Women united for food energy and climate justice. A street march advocating for Climate Justice Now! At COP, I learnt A bottom-up approach, with an emphasis on national climate change action, is required. We need a strong political commitment in order to get a deal. The Paris agreement could be a starting point that leads us to low carbon economies, and creates climate-resilient pathways. The impact of climate change differs from country to country. We need to consider and recognise that the levels of pollution are common but come with different responsibilities. Therefore, there is need for collective responsibility let us consider looking at who is benefiting versus who is suffering. Negotiations should be based on reality, therefore we need to devise means on how to minimise the impact through mitigation measures let us collectively try to produce things without impacting on the climate. It is clearly understood that the world is changing and inequalities are increasing. There is need to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and to identify allies and enemies. There is need to balance the atmosphere by 2020 and to recognise that countries are at different levels, which means climate change needs to be taken up as a global concern. 5

6 PATIENCE MURAMUZI (Uganda) While I was in Paris I learnt that the solution for climate change does not lie with COP, but with civil society organisations (CSOs) and the community. I learnt that we need to engage with our governments at a national level, and we need to build ourselves into a strong movement from the grassroots. We need to be practical and adopt practices like creating seed banks of indigenous seeds for the community. Originally I thought and believed the UNFCCC negotiations would offer all the solutions to climate change, especially for Africa. However, I realised the polluters think climate change does not affect them and so they are only focused on making money at the cost of the natural resources. I also realised that the negotiations are not balanced, the corporates are always on the winning side because they have money and they are the ones who fund COP and our governments. As National Association for Women s Action in Development (NAWAD) we plan to mobilise women at the grassroots, aiming to build a strong women s movement by creating awareness on the dangers of climate change and focus on giving skills on adaptation practices and initiate the idea of creating seed banks with women s groups. We also think it is important to start engaging the younger generation on the issue of climate change for environmental sustainability. I still need more information about simple and sustainable climate change adaptation techniques, especially on energy, and appeal to WoMin to help in providing community climate change training manuals and other necessary materials for women s groups and schools. Lessons learnt As CSO organisations our presence was not felt by the main COP and so I don t think we made an impact towards the negotiations. We need to have a plan to start engaging with our governments on climate change justice. We need to lobby for more support, both financial and technical, from our governments towards women. We need to start working with the younger generation. We need to strengthen networking at all levels. Generally, I think the organisation was okay, although we lacked the presence of other partners in our meetings and in most cases we felt as if we were talking to ourselves. I realise some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) attended the main COP, but maybe next time CSOs should be part of the main COP. 6

7 RUDO MGODI (Zimbabwe) COP 21 provided a great learning platform on many issues. I obtained a deeper understanding of the power play between the Global North as led by the United States, Canada and the European Union and the Global South, which is largely Asia, South America and Africa. The Global North has benefited from an extractivist, fossil-fuelled development and consumption model which has eluded and negatively impacted the developing countries. This development model allows rich industrialised countries and their captors in the form of transnational corporations (TNCs) to insist on their right to development, and their right to pollute and protect their consumerism at the expense of the poor countries that suffer the impacts of climate change with fewer resources to adapt or mitigate. The so-called Individual Nationally Determined Commitments are non-binding and non-enforceable and fall short of being a climate change solution. The role of civil society from both the Global North and Global South thus continues to be critical in forming joint strategies to challenge the capitalist-driven development paradigm and amplify voices calling for a general system change and dismantling of corporate power that fosters underdevelopment and inequality for the majority of the world s population and shows insufficient concern for protecting the environment. Major observations The active role faith-based organisations, and particularly the Catholic Church, are playing in climate justice. The solidarity and support offered by sister organisations in the Global North to the Global South. The involvement of elderly people and youth groups in climate justice and system change advocacy. A generalised disconnect between the civil society processes at the ZAC and the formal processes at Le Bourget. I personally was not in touch with the negotiators from Zimbabwe. The presence and power of corporations and how little effect the opinions of poor developing nations have, according to the feedback at the Assembly. The developed nations want to continue polluting at the expense of the poorer nations. Critical clauses on equality, gender and food security were left out of the Paris deal. Going forward I will urge my organisation to form links with formal faith-based organisations that share a passion for systems change and climate justice. I will raise awareness and support for issues in places where women ordinarily meet like churches, mothers unions, and youth groups. It is important to form alliances with organisations from the Global North in addition to South-South networking. Sister organisations in the North can be counted on to advance issues affecting developing countries and to lobby their governments for change. Climate justice work is an ongoing process and must continue in my backyard prior to the next COP. Importantly, I must seek interaction with the government on civil society demands to guide the next COP process. I want to understand and research more on carbon trading and false solutions and how these affect women and their ability to adapt to climate change. Is the climate finance that has been promised a form of compensation by the polluters to pay for the damage to the climate commons or are these loans that will continue to burden Africa? WoMin and CCFD-Terre Solidaire, among others, highlighted the need to change the system. We need more analysis on how such a deeply embedded system of development can change and how we can organise around this. I would like to know why there is a school of thought that thinks Paris was a good deal, and how can civil society declarations and petitions be taken to the formal process? There is need to support each other s work on movement-building starting from the grassroots so that there can be many loud voices demanding a systems change and holding corporates and governments to account on the deals they negotiate on behalf of many. Make as many people as possible aware of climate change 7

8 SCHOLASTIQUE ATADRA and AIMEE MATUNGULU (DRC) We had an amazing ten days of highly crucial work for this movement, we have learnt, and exchanged with others regarding their work, and we have the utmost desire to have a Global Movement on Climate Change with WoMin, People s Dialogue, RWA, CIDSE, CCFD-Terre, as well as the other partners. Saturday 12 December was a historic day with the emergence of a citizen movement of a magnitude to bring about the change, not only with regard to climate change but also to the whole system. In the evening we were at the Climate Action Zone (ZAC) where more than a 1,000 people sat on the floor and stood (some very far from the stage) to listen to the plenary discussions. After a great educational and fun evening organised by CCFD-Terre Solidaire, the participants declared: we want to have the last word we are here to stay and we are the solution we want to build a fair and sustainable future. Demonstrating is carrying a message. Our freedoms are being drastically limited by the state of emergency, and more than ever it s time to stand up against the emergency. Let us not give up on demonstrating; let us face this unprecedented climate challenge! What I loved most during our stay in Paris was the mobilisation of the women from the rural assemblies of women, the rural movements of the aboriginal Americans; the way we conveyed the message by means of leaflets, bags, hats and t-shirts; the songs and dances conveying key advocacy messages; the sharing of experiences with all stakeholders; regular and daily access to ZAC, and the parallel meetings, organised by various organisations, on similar themes. Despite our feelings of insecurity, we bravely conquered our fear for a common cause, and had successful engagements. The one thing that shocked me about the CCNUCC/climate negotiations was the absence of our sisters from the civil society in the Le Bourget negotiation room; we needed them to convey our ideas within the negotiators work groups. Our mistake was that our ideas were not included in the signed agreement. Moving forward I think that once we get back to the DRC, we will organise a gathering of different groups at all levels and will proceed: In the identification (mapping) of women s organisations that share our vision on climate, energy, gender, and food justice. Train the trainers on the topic of climate justice. Inform and educate these organisations to enable them to understand our work and vision as defined in the present agreement. Officially launch WoMin DRC. Disseminate the Paris framework agreement at all levels, own it, and ensure its effective implementation. Train more African women on issues related to the natural resources in Africa; work in solidarity with the women s movement from North to South; and clearly define the role of women and the approaches to be used for successful advocacy and lobbying in mixed gender movements. In order for us to accomplish the above, we need to contact the elected officials of the national and provincial assemblies, as well as local authorities that will constitute our allies group. We will also need to create alliances with teachers, who will assist us to reach students as a rising generation, and the youth parliaments in order to integrate them into this movement. We appeal to WoMin to help in promoting and training the groups, and raising awareness on the importance of hard work. In addition, we would like to build the fight against climate change using, for example, the method of family farming which gives women freedom and autonomy, and promotes solidarity between cities and the countryside. 8

9 In conclusion We need to promote cooperation at global, regional, national and local levels. We must mobilise funds that will allow us to implement these reinforcements of capacity at all levels and in locations of WoMin s intervention. We need to know the role of the civil society in the implementation of the Paris agreement. The agreement must be disseminated in order to be adopted, which will in return facilitate citizen control that we ought to achieve. Article 11 paragraphs 1 & 2 of the agreement elaborate on capacity-building activities to effectively fight the climate change. According to the agreement, these activities could contribute to the improvement of developing countries skills and capacities, especially those with the lowest skills, such as the least developed countries including the small island states that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The agreement also suggested the implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures that would facilitate the development, diffusion and deployment of technologies. We must secure access to funding for climate actions, and to the relevant aspects of education, training and awareness, and the transparent and accurate communication of information wherever it is needed. Such capacity-building must be country-driven, must take into account and fulfil the national needs, and must be owned by the parties, particularly in developing countries at national, regional and local levels. It must also be driven by lessons learnt and must represent an effective, iterative, participatory, transversal process and be sensitive to gender equality. For future events, I suggest we secure accreditation for some people, alternatively use allies who are already on the inside, in order for them to represent our ideas on the policy decisions. We should also stand outside with banners that authorities can read when they pass by, and also distribute our leaflets inside the negotiation room. 9

10 LEONIE KIANGU GEMBO (DRC) Launched in 2013, WoMin s progression has been dazzling. WoMin aims to be a great global movement for women, even though the organisation is still establishing its structure and securing its finance partners. The one certain thing is that the movement is being rooted and will not pull back; the movement is advancing thanks to the fortitude of its instigator and members of its management team. WoMin aims to be rooted in the mist of linguistic diversity in order to level the understanding of extractivism, which is not an easy task, but we will make it. Today, the embryonic ideas are becoming common feminist ideas. Gathering in Paris shows that our combat against extractivism is not an isolated struggle; instead it is linked to others for an endogenous development based on a clean and fair model. The problems that brought us together in Paris did not distinguish between the impacts suffered in the North due to extractivism, in contrast to those suffered in the South. In other words, the effects caused by abusive mining activities and global warming are felt the world over. Whites, blacks, and Asians should unite in order to find answers to global questions. Paris enabled me to understand global warming and its various impacts on health, human rights, peace, migration, hunger, and all the resulting challenges that we face have their roots in the disruption of the balance of nature. The unity among the WoMin delegation was indeed remarkable, the shared mutual consideration, as well as sharing accommodation, was a fantastic experience on the part of women. The biggest disappointment for me was the one-way communication. In my opinion, it seemed as if the population was there solely to accompany the world leaders, who dominantly influence the debate. The ZAC seemed to be a venue in which participants who were in Le Bourget could provide their opinions, however their points of views were not forwarded. The negotiations seemed highly political and the ownership, understanding and monitoring of the concept remain less plausible for the people. However, we have the agreement and the stage that follows will be the monitoring by NGOs and the implementation by the leaders. The acquired knowledge must be popularised among women and at university level. Many are already requesting that we share the Paris agreement as soon as we return. This will require financial resources, which could become a major handicap in the popularisation of the agreement; the main goal in particular is to encourage women to monitor and to encourage students to participate in the debates. The questions on fossil fuels need to be studied, understood and taught (capacity-building). FEJE would really like to popularise the Paris agreement among women, discussing with them the distribution of energy in the DRC, as well as continuing research with regard to land grabbing and denouncing their methods, because all the above are closely linked to global warming. Furthermore, the management of carbon funds might enrich the political class more than the local communities that are losing their land, are exposed to pollution, and are suffering the negative impacts without being taken into account by the leaders. The impacts of Paris on our work through WoMin: The integration of WoMin in our different countries. The mobilisation of women on climate change (global warming). Capacity building of women with regard to the Paris agreement for effective monitoring. Continuing with the investigations on the behaviour of mining companies and their pollutions, all in close proximity to our villages. Mobilisation of funds for our organisations. 10

11 CAROLINE NTAOPANE (South Africa) I joined many meetings at COP and was privileged to share a platform with women from other countries. I have learnt that we are all fighting the same cause, we are not fighting each other, we are not fighting for money, and we are not fighting to be rich and powerful. We are all fighting for one thing, which is life. In order to have a life full of joy, prosperity, abundance that our future generations will enjoy we need to move away from burning fossil fuels, which has a negative impact on community livelihoods and well-being. In order to have life we need to fight the capitalist system that thinks making profit out of dirty energy is a necessary evil for the benefit of economic growth and making a few individuals richer. There are no noticeable effects of climate change for these people. The world leaders met in Paris as they usually meet every year to discuss climate change and how to address it. As I have heard from many people who attended COP 21, there was an agreement that didn t have any measurements and is not legally binding. People are saying COP 21 was a summit of falsehood. The agreement will not assist to bring us closer to the end of fossil fuels. Our democracy has been stolen, the fossil fuel industries funded COP 21 and they have been given a certificate to violate human rights with impunity, while the lives of marginalised communities are deteriorating every day in different parts of the world. I have met dedicated women, who are caregivers, who are bearing the brunt of climate change each day. I have met women who don t understand technical language and science but who feel the pinch of walking long distances looking for food and water in order to support their families. Women are calling for action to be taken by governments and industries to halt climate change. We have done nothing to pollute, yet we are the ones suffering, polluters must pay not us. Everything we are living for has been priced, the water we drink and the air we breathe. We need a campaign that can empower women to understand the impact of climate change, be able to take part in the political debate around the issues that are affecting them, influence policies and decision-making processes. Women demand sustainable cleaner energy. We need to force government to engage seriously on how the impact of climate change affects women who are farmers. Women are defending our way of life, defending our livelihoods and defending our rights. We learned about the importance of women working together, empowering each other, sharing knowledge and building unity. Highlights The highlight of COP 21 for me was the Grandparents Climate Campaign, Norway. I still remember the chorus of the song that says give earth a chance very well, it says we ll take a climate stand, we will do it now. The song gave me hope that voices of women will be heard, and governments and corporates will be forced to listen to those voices that have been silent for decades. Women will take a climate and renewable energy stand. We need to stand firm and bring women together as I believe women play a key role in bringing necessary solutions. We will not stand for false solutions. We need to determine the future of our generation and the future of our planet. 11

12 SIZIWE KHANYILE (WoMin Secretariat) COP is a great space for networking and rallying around a common agenda. But it should not be seen as a space for solving climate problems because the major influence is from financial institutions and corporations whose aim is to protect profits. Genuine climate concerns are silenced. National action and intervention is more important as it rallies greater numbers within civil society. Given that COP is such a critical process for the planet and its people it is of great concern that the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are not binding and of an entirely voluntary nature. This is inadequate to prevent a climate catastrophe.. The king is the capitalist system and our governments are its subjects. Therefore international lobbying and campaigning at the level of climate and trade negotiations is critical, but so are national level interventions. Our role is not only that of agitators (which is important), but also as supporters of the work of our national departments of environment. We need to provide them with useful information and research to assist them with the difficult work of ensuring accountability within governments pursuing pro-capitalist development models. Moving forward Important interventions are in the area of education and developing a common understanding of the failings of the capitalist system. We ought to act locally and think globally. As women mobilise and act in their communities, recognition that the problem is a global systemic one that needs a global, north-south, south-south movement in order to dismantle it. We need to forge new kinds of allies. We must develop and demonstrate practical, usable alternatives for all communities not just for the grassroots and the poor but also for all who are part of the consumerist system. We need to advocate for a non-extractive, alternative development model at a national level. SAMANTHA HARGREAVES Some short sharp reflections on the COP 21 negotiations FAILURE The final agreement was not unexpected and our advance analysis, outlined in An African Ecofeminist Structural Perspective on the Paris Climate Negotiations briefing paper was accurate. In short, for the majority of the world s citizens, the Paris deal is a very bad one. National voluntary pledges, the INDCs, don t add up to the Paris promise to keep the average global climate temperature increase below 20C, a target that is already dubious since the majority of climate scientists and prominent social commentators agree that catastrophic climate change impacts will be set off when we reach the 20C tipping point. These national voluntary pledges when added up take us beyond 30C, and for sub-saharan Africa, this translates to double this, or 60C. The voluntary nature of these pledges and the mechanism of self-regulation can safely guarantee that under this regime we are looking at temperature changes well beyond a 30C global average. Paris failed, as all negotiations since Copenhagen in 2009 have, in getting to the heart of the climate change problem: fossil fuel extraction. According to Pablo Solon, the former Bolivian ambassador to the United Nations, we must leave 80% of known fossil fuel reserves under the ground and make deep emissions cuts: 44 Gigatons (Gt) of CO2 equivalent by 2020, 40 Gt by 2025, and 35 Gt by 2030, if we are to beat climate change. Instead of making the tough decisions needed, the Paris agreement affirms market mechanisms and offsets which allow large polluting corporates to continue polluting by buying the right to pollute from other companies at extremely low cost rather than being compelled to make the needed direct cuts in emissions. And it affirms the voluntary nature of reparations for climate debt, with the Green Climate Fund still sizably underfunded by countries that owe the debt and unable to directly support affected community groups who will not qualify for support under an onerous accreditation process. 12

13 Synergies and separations in the ZAC WoMin was in the Climate Coalition space, totally separated from the COP 21 negotiations held at Le Bourget with its own parallel civil society space. At the Climate Coalition, a gathering of movements, networks, campaigns and some NGOs, I found remarkable synergy in analysis, proposals and strategies in the forums we participated in, and left with hope and faith in the possibility of our movements and organisations converging across the world to build a powerful climate justice movement with some clear and commonly agreed structurally oriented propositions for the future. The Climate Coalition space was not free of critique. First, the leadership face was very European, very white, and very male, and the convergence moments, at the closure of each day, included very few black Africans and very few women. Second, venues at the main ZAC were insufficient to accommodate all activities and some groups were thrust into marginal venues, a great distance from the main zone, and extremely difficult to locate for those unfamiliar with Paris. Two African feminist movements/ alliances Rural Women s Assembly and our own WoMin were assigned marginal venues for most of our jointly-convened activities, and we eventually rebelled, demanding space at the main zone. Third, our analysis is that an African feminist perspective on climate justice, largely absent from many of the civil society organising and discussions, was regarded as politically peripheral and this translated into physical marginalisation of our activities. In spite of our critique, I believe many progressive movements, alliances and organisations achieved substantive convergence in analysis and thinking about the problems and the alternatives in the Climate Coalition space. The same cannot be said of mainstream civil society groups that were inside COP 21 with the misguided belief that the negotiations could yield the agreement that the majority of people and the planet need. Outside of COP 21 in the ZAC, most of us agreed that the political and economic system is responsible for climate change. I am not sure if all groups would have felt a comfort in the specific naming of this system as capitalism or patriarchal racist capitalism. Many of us converged in agreeing that climate change must be kept below a 1.50C average global increase. We agree on many of the solutions substantive structural change involving a democratic transition to a different development model driven by the interests of workers, communities and women. At the centre of this transition, many of us seem to agree, is the demand to keep 80% of remaining fossil fuel reserves underground and transition to a renewable decentralised socialised system of ownership and control, with feminists asserting the need for women to play a leading role in a transformed energy system. With the notable exception of WoMin, the Rural Women s Assembly, the World March of Women, and Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, a transformative feminist perspective is substantively lacking in the thinking, propositions and practices of many more progressive groups and movements working towards climate justice. The Paris experience reasserted for me the importance of the work women s movements, with a progressive feminist politics, and the work they are doing in different corners of the world. It is imperative that WoMin forge ahead with its movement-building agenda regionally, doing so in concert with our political allies: the Rural Women s Assembly, and the World March of Women. We bring a critical political viewpoint that is largely missing from the climate justice movement, and we hold the vision, hope, and possibility of a unified powerful climate justice movement in which a powerful women s movement is not only present and accounted for, but playing a leading role in the struggle for alternatives. 13

14 MEDIA REFLECTIONS Twitter: The WoMin Twitter page for December 2015 pre, during and post COP 21 had a huge impact, with 7,200 impressions over the December 2015 period. Our most popular tweet was: #WoMin at COP21. #africanwomen4climatejustice Working class women s work detoxes the planet! #gender #ecofeminism pic.twitter.com/txvnvdf7xe with 1342 impressions and engagements. Twitter followers grew to over 60 new followers over this period. PARIS IN PICTURES WoMin delegation participating in the Day of Action (photo credit: Leonie Kiangu) 14

15 PARIS IN PICTURES An event organised by WoMin and the Rural Women s Assembly (photo credit: Dorothy Guerrero) Part of the WoMin delegation to Paris (photo credit: Samantha Hargreaves) 15

16 PARIS IN PICTURES WoMin delegation participating in the Day of Action (photo credit: Leonie Kiangu) WoMin delegation singing with the Grandparents Climate Campaign, Norway (photo credit: Samantha Hargreaves) 16

17 PARIS IN PICTURES An event organised by WoMin and the Rural Women s Assembly (photo credit: Samantha Hargreaves) Preparations for the Day of Action (photo credit: Leonie Kiangu) 17