BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 17. Women continue to be underrepresented in climate decision-making processes, said Jan Beagle, Director General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), speaking at the session "Addressing Climate Vulnerability: Promoting Comprehensive and Equitable Approach to Climate Action" at COP29 Parliamentary Meeting organized jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Azerbaijani Parliament, Beagle highlighted the disparities women face in the climate sector, Trend reports.
"Women disproportionately suffer from the impacts of climate change due to unequal access to resources, discriminatory social norms, and economic barriers. However, they are also powerful agents of change. Globally, women play a key role in food production and management of agricultural lands. Yet, they often encounter systemic barriers in accessing land, credit, and climate-resilient technologies. Removing these barriers and supporting women farmers by securing land rights, providing training, and offering resources can help parliamentarians boost agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and strengthen community resilience," she said.
Beagle noted that studies indicate that involving women in decision-making leads to more effective and sustainable climate policies and programs.
"Despite this, women remain underrepresented in climate and environmental decision-making processes at all levels—both national and international," she added.
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which will run until November 22, opened at the Baku Olympic Stadium on November 11.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for “Conference of Parties” and is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless otherwise decided by the parties, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.