Missing in Action: Gender in International Environmental Law
Fordham Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2779320
GENDER EQUALITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (UNDP: 2012) [with Alena Herklotz]
Posted: 14 May 2016
Date Written: 2012
Abstract
Given that women make up half of the world’s population and possess invaluable knowledge and expertise, it is imperative that the international environmental law (IEL) system uphold women’s full and equal participation and leadership in all areas of practice. This article briefly explores the nature and evolution of global efforts to address and incorporate gender in IEL. It traces the evolution of the international environmental agenda from the early 1970s to more recent agreements, focusing on both foundational treaties and soft law instruments before turning to a more detailed examination of the climate change and biodiversity treaty regimes. Both frameworks are reviewed in terms of their substantive gender commitments (or lack thereof), highlighting the need to strengthen the role of gender in international environmental law and ensure the meaningful implementation and enforcement of provisions aimed at integrating a gender perspective in IEL instruments.
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