In brief
The Vatican's stance against gender inclusion at the UN climate summit has raised alarms within representations advocating for women's rights amid climate change common threats.
In a surprising move at the UN COP29 climate conference, the Vatican, led by Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, has blocked discussions focused on women's rights, aligning itself with countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Egypt. This coalition has resisted proposals aimed at enhancing support for women, particularly in response to climate-related crises—a pressing concern as women and girls represent approximately 80% of those displaced due to climate change, according to UN estimates.The standoff has emerged as Colombia’s Environment Minister Susana Muhamad criticized the Vatican and its allies for impeding vital agreement updates to the existing Lima Work Programme on Gender. With climate negotiations underway in Azerbaijan, the need for gender-focused action has never been more urgent, and the opposition to the inclusion of "gender" in discussions has stalled progress significantly.For over ten years, the international community has recognized that climate change disproportionately affects women, who often maintain caretaker roles and face interruptions in reproductive health services during environmental disasters. The urgency of addressing food insecurity caused by climate change emphasizes the need for tailored actions; by 2050, UN Women predicts that 240 million more women will experience food insecurity as compared to 131 million men.Globally, features for women within climate funding are minimal, with only a mere 0.01% of climate change initiatives considered for women's specific needs. Advocates for change are disappointed by the Vatican’s stance, especially considering that previously, these countries had not found the term "gender" contentious.Observations reveal that the ongoing debates have surfaced concerns that women's rights, especially those pertaining to LGBTQ+ individuals, are being sacrificed. The inability to acknowledge diverse experiences of women in the face of climate change could hinder effective solutions. Observers warn that if this deadlock maintains, women’s rights in the negotiations could be severely compromised.Notably, while Pope Francis has made some conciliatory gestures concerning LGBTQ+ communities, the Vatican remains firm on its definition of marriage and its opposition to gender changes. With the expiration of the current UN gender and climate program looming, failure to secure an agreement at COP29 would leave women facing climate change without a dedicated global strategy—catastrophic, given the dire challenges ahead.Further complicating the negotiations is the lack of representation for women in discussions—a pressing issue emphasized by numerous monitoring organizations. With only 36% of negotiators last year being women, many feel their perspectives are overlooked, making it harder to address the unique challenges women face in climate-impacted regions.The EU has voiced strong support for gender empowerment as critical to confronting the climate crisis, with a letter backed by 17 countries demanding this commitment. As COP29 progresses, efforts for an inclusive approach to women's rights amidst climate challenges must remain a priority if substantive progress is to be made.
