Saturday, April 16, 2011

Mary Robinson among women taking action on climate change

Women are ideally positioned to influence climate justice according to Oxfam Ireland and the Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice.  

They are hosting international guests speaking about the impact of climate change on women’s lives in the global south and how women are acting to achieve climate justice.

“My elders and my community have given me a huge task, to tell the world what is happening on my island and what climate change is doing to destroy our lives.  We are being forced from our ancient island homeland,” said Ursula Rakova.  

She is the Executive Director of Tulele Peisa — “sailing the waves on our own” — a local community organisation in Papua New Guinea that is trying to relocate the entire island community of the Carterets to nearby Bougainville because of the impacts of climate change.

“I would say to people who believe that climate change is not happening; if you have the heart to feel that you are flesh and blood, start to think about us on the island.  What is a choice of lifestyle for you is a choice of life or death for us,” she said.

She is part of the Climate Wise Women organisation that has toured the world presenting the stories of women leaders from regions affected by climate change.  

It all began with a program titled Global Women Take Action on Climate Change, originally presented by the TckTckTck campaign in New York City on September 23 2009 to a group of journalists and VIP guests, to coincide with the UN General Assembly High Level Event on Climate Change and the Clinton Global Initiative.

“…the panel served as a rallying cry for grassroots work to mitigate and adapt to climate change.” said Samantha Harvey, the Overbrook Foundation.

Moved by the overwhelming success of the event, Copenhagen Mayor Bjerregaard requested that a similar program be planned for the next meeting on climate change at Copenhagen. 

The Climate Wise Women project has been touring ever since.  

It is the turn of Dublin and speakers included Mary Robinson (who needs no introduction) as well as Ursula Rakova, Constance Okollet, and Jim Clarken.

Constance Okollet, is a peasant farmer from Tororo district in Eastern Uganda, Africa and a mother of seven.  She is a community activist and chairperson of the Osukura United Women network, which includes 40 regional groups in Uganda's Osukura sub-county.  

In 2007, heavy rains destroyed the homes and food supply of Constance's village displacing all of its residents.  Starvation followed.  Once the situation stabilised, the community was dealt a second blow: an unprecedented drought that dried up crops and wells, reigniting the cycle of hunger and thirst.

“It is imperative that climate change must be reversed, otherwise my community in rural Africa may not see the next generation,” she said.

The Climate Wise Women is a project of the Earth Island Institute.