Background
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) marked an historic milestone for climate action, as this event marked the conclusion of the first ‘global stocktake’ of the world’s efforts to address climate change under the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, it also facilitated the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund with commitment of over 700 million US Dollars which will assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. COP celebrated Health Day on 3rd December 2023 for the first time, and an array of events were conducted to highlight the impacts of climate change on different aspects of health including on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Health Declaration which has been issued during the event has been signed by 143 countries including Nepal with a common objective towards ensuring better health outcomes, including through the transformation of health systems to be climate-resilient, low-carbon, sustainable and equitable, and to better prepare communities and the most vulnerable populations for the impacts of climate change.
Link: https://www.cop28.com/en/cop28-uae-declaration-on-climate-and-health
The COP28 GENDER-RESPONSIVE JUST TRANSITIONS AND CLIMATE ACTION PARTNERSHIP declaration includes the important agenda integrating climate justice with SRHR. The article 12 explicitly highlights the impact of climate change on gender and SRHR and reads as
“Express concern that climate change is exacerbating existing inequalities, as well as gender-based violence, and barriers to accessing critical services that underpin access to decent work, including, but not limited to, education, food, clean water and sanitation, health services including sexual and reproductive health, education, emergency response, and a healthy environment, and stress the need to strengthen and expand access to gender-responsive social protection systems. Link: Gender Responsive Just Transitions & Climate Action Partnership (cop28.com)
At COP28, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prime Minister of Nepal hosted a high-level roundtable meeting in course of the conference as to explore the agendas of mountainous countries. This was so far the first-ever meeting Nepal hosted and chaired a separate meeting in course of the UN conference on climate change. The mountain agenda has been reflected in outcomes document of the COP-28. A ‘technical dialogue’ event will be hosted on the mountain agendas in Bonn of Germany in coming June extending the climate change and health discussions further.
Engagement of Ipas Nepal in COP28
Ipas Nepal as Organizer
Ministry of Population and Health in collaboration with Ipas Nepal, FHI 360 and USAID conducted a side event- “Putting Health at the Center of Climate Change” at Nepal Pavilion on 3rd December 2023 to highlight the social and economic burden of climate change on health and discuss possible solutions to address climate change and establish a climate-resilient health system in Nepal. Sally Djkerman, from Ipas US was one of the panelist. The session ended with commitments from Health Minister to:
· Invest in research and innovation for the development of sustainable and Climate Resilient Health System.
· Ensure the needs and voices of vulnerable populations are heard and addressed in climate negotiations.
· Strengthen international cooperation and partnerships to address the health impacts of climate change.
· Include health in climate financing mechanisms.
Link of the event: https://www.facebook.com/khusbu.poudel/videos/1122515658907383
Ipas Nepal facilitating the Conversation
Ipas Nepal participated in series of the event at COP where Ipas Nepal shared the challenge of climate change and its effect among women and girls in Nepal, shared the ongoing initiatives of Ipas Nepal integrating gender, SRHR and Climate change and future plan to address the climate crisis. Some of the sessions that Ipas Nepal attended as a panelist includes:
· “Speaking up for SRHR & Climate Justice”– Organised by SRHR & Climate Justice Coalition and focused on sharing the ground stories of interlinkage between climate crisis, gender and SRHR. Shared the findings of the research conducted in Nepal and how Ipas Nepal is working in this interlinkage.
Know more: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Climate Justice Messaging Guide MAY 2023
· “Exploring the burden of climate change on health”– This side event was organised by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh and chaired by Health Minister which included high-level government representatives and technical experts discussed on climate change and NCDs and SRHR. The health minister shared some of his vision and work in health sector and a commitment working towards climate change and health. Khusbu Poudel was one of the panelists. She focused her remarks on the impact of climate change on women’s fertility preference.
· “An undervalued pathway to climate resilience: Investing in family planning to empower women and girls”- Margaret Pyke Trust, FP 2030 and MSI Reproductive Choices organised this side event. The major highlight was UK Government’s Minister of State’s commitment- 20 percent of the UK’s funding to Global Financing Facility, being £16 million, is to be sourced from the UK’s International Climate Finance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StzVMuSZNPQ
· “Teach In: SRHR & Climate Justice Messaging Guide”– Ipas has contributed to developing the SRHR & climate justice messaging guide together with other SRHR & CJ coalition members. The guide was shared in CoP 28. The main aim of the session was to share the guide and collect feedback from the wider sector
stakeholder. Khusbu Poudel and Sally Dijkerman also facilitated this teach in session.
· “The Nexus Between Climate, Gender, and Health; The Youth Perspective”- This side event was jointly organized by Ipas and African Youth Commission. The panelists emphasized on a holistic and integrated approach to addressing the intersection between climate change, gender inequity, and health disparities.
Conclusion
The COP had very limited session and discussion focusing on intersectional theme of climate change and SRHR including maternal health. There is urgent need to address and prioritize the impact of climate change on SRHR and gender, based on the evidence and ground experiences from multiple countries. Increasing investment in Climate justice and SRHR, sharing of experiences at global and regional platforms, generating evidence on impact of climate change on SRHR of women and girls, strengthening the voice of Climate Justice and SRHR community/actors is crucial.
