Women in Europe for a Common Future

Aim

The aim of the organization is to achieve an equitable and sustainable future for all. WECF works towards a healthy environment for everyone. ^[1] Today WECF is a network of more than 150 women’s and environmental organizationsin 50 countries. ^[1] The international network of members and partners originates from Western Europe , Eastern Europe , Caucasus and Central Asia .

WECF’s main focus areas are : energy & climate change ; chemicals & health ; water & sanitation ; biodiversity & food ; gender rights .

WECF’s vision is that by 2020; everyone in the region will have access to safe, affordable and renewable energy ; everyone will have access to safe, local and various food products and clean water and sanitation facilities. To achieve this, WECF is working in the field of poverty reduction , public participation and environmental rights and gender issues .

Organization

The organization was founded by Marie Kranendonk in 1994. Now WECF has three independent offices in the Netherlands, Germany and France . Local projects provide solutions to environmental problems in the field of chemicals, sanitation, energy and agriculture . WECF aussi works are national , European , UN and international political levels with the aim pour augmenter women’s leverage in political decision-making processes.

WECF has observer status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is an official partner of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). WECF is also a member of the European Environment and Health Committee (EEHC). They are also a partner to the Women’s Major Group .

Issues

WECF’s 3 areas of expertise:

1. Capacity building

• Training, assessment and monitoring capacity of network organizations
• Sub-granting to local women’s organizations

2. Policy advocacy

• Effective and meaningful policy participation of organizations in national policies and plans
• Strengthening of global women’s movements to ensure impactful policy advocacy by women’s civil society organizations

3. Outreach campaigns

• Awareness raising, outreach and campaigning to change mind-sets and help create an enabling environment

WECF has expertise in three thematic issue areas:

1. Gender Equality in Sustainable Development Policies

• Sustainable Development Goals (Post-2015) EndFragment
• Climate policies and implementation mechanisms (UNFCCC)
• Environmental, Chemicals and Waste Management Policies (UNEP)

2. Creating Sustainable and Safe Circular Economies (Food / Water / Energy)

• Gender Equitable Technology design and assessments for safe access to food, water and energy
• Women’s Leadership in Planning, Operations and Monitoring for Sustainable Food, Water and Energy Solutions
• Women’s income generation and financial mechanisms for sustainable food, water and energy solutions

3. Equitable Mitigation Strategies and Plans (climate / chemicals / sanitation)

• Gender equitable climate change mitigation strategies and plans
• Mitigating women’s health impacts from chemicals, waste, radiation and other pollution
• Women’s priorities for sanitation, hygiene and menstrual hygiene policies and actions
  Previous project: constructed wetland implementation for on-site treatment of domestic wastewater of a children’s home combined with capacity-building for professionals. ^[2]

Projects

WECF’s current projects include Civil Society Local Energy Efficiency Network (CLEEN) , „Reducing Chemicals and Contamination of Drinking Water Sources in Rural Communities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia and Albania“ ; Water Solidarity Project (France – Kyrgyrstan) “ ; “ Capacity Building and Strategic Partnerships for Chemicals Safety in the Republic of Serbia “ , “ Managing Wastewater through Global Partnership “ .

Chemicals

Chemicals in Cosmetics

WECF recently published a study criticizing the safety and use of chemicals in baby cosmetic products. Out of the 341 baby cosmetics products tested, WECF found that three ingredients were considered in these products. These include methylisothiazolinone ( allergic contact), perfume or fragrance (which may involve potential allergy risks), phenoxyethanol (a preservative suspected to be reprotoxic ). ^[3]

Women and Chemicals

On International Women’s Day 2016, WECF launched its publication ‚ Women and Chemicals – The Impact of Hazardous Chemicals on Women. A thought starter based on an experts ‚ workshop . With Women and Chemicals, WECF presents a deeper look at the nexus between gender roles and exposure to hazardous chemicals worldwide ^[4] and it summarizes existing information and initiatives on the topic. ^[5] The report demonstrates that women are often exposed to their (gendered) roles and because of biological susceptibilities and health impacts. ^[6] In particular, the Report proposes an examination of the impacts of highly hazardous pesticides , mercury, and endocrine disrupting chemicals on the health of women everywhere. ^[7] The Report concludes with a call for more action for better health protection from harmful chemicals ^[8] for all, but in particular for women as consumers and workers. ^[9]The goal is to raise awareness about what people can do for their health and how they can change their own behaviors as consumers. ^[10] As Alexandra Caterbow states: „In this we carry Focused on women, Because Often men’s health impacts are already better Known, from Reduced sperm-counts to testicular cancerand genital malformations. We call on urgent legislative measures to protect the health of women, men and children from hazardous chemicals. Immediate steps-have to be taken to end use of highly hazardous pesticides to Phase out EDCs Such As Bisphenol A from consumer products and packaging, to ban mercury use in artisanal small gold mining, and to Promote the use of safer substitutes and non-chemical alternative „. ^[11]

15 year anniversary

In 2009 WECF marked its 15-year anniversary. On this occasion, the WECF is organizing a conference on 10 June in the Concordia Theater in The Hague. The main theme of the conference was Innovation for Sustainability, the crisis as opportunity .

Professor Noreena Hertz , presented a critical analysis of the roots of the global economic crisis, and ways out towards a sustainable economy. The Dutch Minister of Environment, Jacqueline Cramer , can not miss a sustainable economy. Minister Bert Koenders of Development Cooperation was invited to give his views on the theme of the day. Andy Schroeter, director of Sunlabob , winner of the Sasakawa Sustainability Award ( UNEP ) elaborated on the topic of how the poorest may have had solar light / heating.

WECF at the 2012 Rio + 20 summit on sustainable development

More than 50,000 representatives of social movements and civil society organizations in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, to demonstrate against unfair and unsustainable economic policies. At the time Sami, 30,000 participants of the United Nations Rio + 20 Conference Contributed to the document „The Future We Want“ ^[12] qui set the path for the Sustainable Development Goals (Replacing the Millennium Development Goals ).

WECF took a leading role in the 2012 Rio + 20 conference , as co-facilitator of the Women’s Major Group , ^[13] one of the nine groups of civil society contribute to the proposed negotiation text. WECF’s role is to facilitate the organization of organizations and the organization of meetings, negotiating and negotiating, organizing meetings with country negotiators, and the organization of events.

For WECF and partners, the main effort in 2012 was to demonstrate local solutions for inclusive and environmentally friendly development, with full participation and leadership of women. In Uganda and South Africa , women training and development of food gardens and organic farming started, as part of the Empower Women – Benefit (for) All program. ^[14] In Ukraine , Georgia and five other EECCA countries, a switch to Sun is launched, a program to improve and up-scale solar heaters for household and public buildings in rural areas where the energy services are not or little developed. In Moldova , Kyrgyzstan , Azerbaijanand Tajikistan WECF and partners, sanitation systems for schools and households, with the addition of solar technologies for supply hot water for bathrooms, and solar food processing solutions. Through its capacity building and training programs, WECF has been training trainers who are able to share their skills. ^[15] As a follow-up of those processes, many WECF members continue to build their skills in the area of ​​policy analysis and advocacy, to propose and push for better legislation and governance. A delegation of WECF members participated in the climate negotiations in Doha ^[16] and promoted the lessons learned from the local mitigation projects. Partners in Albania, Serbia and Macedonia Organized consume information and media events to raise awareness about product and chemical Risks, and about the need for better protection of children from Carcinogens and endocrine disruptors .

References