Sustainability: A Woman's Role

Rio+20 left behind in its trail a myriad of companies, industries, governments and politicians grappling for new concepts and solutions; ways to basically revamp and redirect initiatives and policies to suit the new agenda. Sustainable Development- to put it concisely, the phrase of the century. 

Another issue brought up in the light of Rio+20, however, is the interesting question: amidst the mad rush to fit environmental concerns into the intricate, profit driven structures of our businesses, what is a woman's role in all this? Alas, the idea of sustainable development and gender equity has come into play. 

Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, speaks at a press conference on “The Future Women Want”, at the Rio+20 UN Conference. 

I came across a few articles which piqued my interest greatly, mostly because it is an issue often neglected, overlooked and sometimes even belittled. Helen Clark (head of the United Nations Development Program) spoke in the wake of the Rio Summit, emphatically stating that the greatest investment to be made in sustainable development is women. Which means that in the midst of restructuring, launching new initiatives and so on, let us not forget as well the importance of women's political participation, developing economic opportunities for women, their education and health services. Helen is definitely not alone in her sentiments. The UN Under-Secretary-General Sha Zukang spoke at a recent women and sustainable development conference hosted by All-China Women’s Federation in Beijing in November, stating “I have said it before – and I say it again today – that in many ways, sustainability is about women. Society flourishes when women’s leadership, creativity, and initiative are recognized, embraced, and harnessed. In many countries, women are the champions of green economy, practicing sustainable agriculture, nurturing our natural resources, and promoting renewable energy.” Why exactly is it important to include women? It is more than just taking a blind stand for gender equality. As mentioned in stakeholder forum.org :

-Women’s indigenous knowledge of ecological linkages and ecosystem management are the main labour force for subsistence production.

-Women are more likely to be around, more stable part of the population—they are more likely to make a long term commitment and investment in their communities.

-Women have often played leadership roles or taken the lead in promoting an environmental ethic re-cycling, local level activities.

-There’s been a rapid growth of women’s NGOs working at local, national and international level.

This, in fact is not new. The Rio Development, the Millennium Development Goals (specifically, MDG 3 which speaks about how women's equality is critical as well to achieving sustainable development) and the Beijing Platform (read about it here) all recognise the fundamental truth- that is, environmental issues are women's issues. Melanie Verveer, the Ambassador-at-large for Global's Women's Issues, made a speech at the Heinrich Boll Foundation Event on January the 19th. She mentioned the vital roles that women have played in sustainable development, emphasizing yet again their role- not as victims, but as linchpins of the 21st century directive. 

Here, i re-iterate some of those roles:

1. Agriculture sector and food security

2.Untapped potential for increasing energy access

3.Consumer Spending Potential

And ultimately, what we can do to progress from a hypothetical platform of words to action and achievement:

1. Continue to elevate women’s leadership and participation in key policy bodies

2. Mainstream these issues at the policy level

3. Invest in girls’ and women’s educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), including in the environmental sciences

4. Build new and innovative programs and partnerships designed to take the kinds of concrete actions necessary to effectuate change

It is important that we recognize that we have a part to play in the environment- including the especially the mining industry. But here's an interesting point to note and ponder: what can we do to empower those who can help the most? 

Click here to watch a short UN clip on women and sustainable development. 

RIO+20 Summit: Sustainable Development!

The first ever Rio Summit (held in 1992) was pregnant with symbolic meaning- 172 governments participated, with 108 sending their heads of state or government, and Some 2,400 representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended. 
Today,  it achieves a sense of direction towards something new, in largely unchartered waters. The notion of sustainable development will be recasted, broadened, redefined. In short, this phrase will probably be the driving force of the 21st century, molding the sphere in which politics and businesses operate. There's hope yet. Sustainable Development used to be a sleep-inducing phrase, largely (or solely) associated with that elusive concept of 'going green'. Not anymore- it's now charged, alive, well defined. It includes aiming for the eradication of poverty and social inclusion. What's so great about Rio+20? Well, for one, this idea of sustainable development has already made some changes in way benchmarks are determined- yes, even in the largely competitive world of business. Accountability of governments and businesses are emphasized, and systems implemented to ensure their participation in this new initiative. "Sustainability Reporting" will be taking its place in the business arena. The creation of ambitious aspirations echo the past- except now, there are hard deadlines. The  Millennium Development Goals, designed to alleviate poverty, has already galvanized organisations around that task. Finally we see some drive!

Representatives discuss

Countries involved in Rio+20

This has implications for the mining industry as well- in fact, especially for the mining industry. Mining has received some serious bad press over the decades, owing to a slew of unfortunate events and the knowledge of the scarcity of resources. "Sustainable Development", therefore, can either be the phrase from hell or a blessing in disguise. Responsible and sustainable mining would be the first step. You now know why its important-we adapt to the 21st century, not resist it. Push aside all misgivings; its inconvenience pays off in the long run. Being part of a powerful initiative that changes the way your community sees you is more than important; it's necessary. In short, it can be a blessing in disguise- adapt to it, make it a priority. You'll be an integral part of the trend that reaches out to save the environment. That makes the Earth a better place for living. 

More so than just that, we all have a moral obligation to contribute or at least replenish what we take away, to carry out our duties to the environment and the community around us. As stated in the Rio+20 common statement: We are consuming resources faster than the Earth can regenerate them, and producing more waste and pollution than the Earth can absorb. There is scientific consensus that Planet Earth is rapidly approaching its boundaries of a healthy and safe environment conducive to a life of dignity. 

More than just being the world's biggest UN Conference in history, this meeting has important consequences for everyone, especially businesses around the globe. We need to change the way we see things, and to make a difference. 

Here are some things to check out:

Interesting articles for your information:

• Reasons to be cheerful about the Rio+20
• The Rio+20 Common Statement

And more about Indonesia taking the lead!

• Indonesia hosts a preparatory meeting towards the UN environmental summit
• Indonesia spearheads in global initiatives to address sustainable development issue

An interesting interactive video: place your vote!