COP-28: make water and gender an integral part of the Global Goal on Adaptation
The coming weeks all eyes will be on COP28 in Dubai. World leaders will gather once again to tackle the climate crisis.
One of the most important topics – especially for climate vulnerable communities in low-income countries - will be the Global Goal on Adaptation. This goal, first established in the 2015 Paris Agreement, is about enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change.
Investments for climate adaptation
Climate change disproportionately affects the well-being and position of women and girls in climate vulnerable communities worldwide. “Instead of promoting oil deals, COP28 should make immediate investments available for climate adaptation strategies benefitting women and girls”, says Veerle Verloren van Themaat, director Fundraising & Engagement at Simavi.
Women face the greatest challenges
“Women and girls increasingly face challenges because of their responsibilities in fetching water, and their specific needs around pregnancy and menstruation. They have less means to protect themselves and they require gender responsive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services.”
Integrating gender and WASH metrics
At COP28 a framework needs to be adopted containing clear methodologies, indicators, metrics and data sources that will feed and support the assessment of the progress made on the Global Goal on Adaptation. “Integrating gender responsive WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) metrics into the GGA Framework is essential”, says Veerle Verloren van Themaat. “Investing in water justice for women and girls is key to climate action.”
