Brazil

Women's Tribunal:  Gender and Climate Justice:  BRAZIL

Contact:  Ramona Ortega, ramona.ortega@gmail.com

Date:  October 29, 2011

Location: Rio de Janeiro

Organizers:  Cidadao Global

Brazil: Tribunal Report

The Brazilian Women’s Tribunal (Tribunal de Mulheres e Justiça Climática) was held in the city where global development and the world’s environment were given the biggest stage  and most hopeful platform for turning around what was twenty years ago one of many environmental concerns. Climate change within the context of the UN Conference on the Environment and Development got a boost through the initiation of the Kyoto Protocol. Twenty years later, the call for climate justice grows greater with the passing of every year. On December 3, 2011 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, grassroots and working class women from the State of Rio and nearby State of Sao Paolo gathered to add their voices calling for climate justice.

The event was the coordinated by Elza Santiago, a favela organizer from the group

Bordadeiras da Coroa/ Articulacao de Mulheres Brasileiras. Many others joined including Vera Neri, Instituto Baobab in collaboration with SINTRASEF, Instituto Equit - Gênero, Economia e Cidadania Global, Rio Ambiental, and GT Rio da Sociedade Civil rumo a Rio+20, with support from Cidadao Global.

The focus was women and climate justice, and grassroot women participated in a day of workshops and dialogue. However, looming over this gathering was the larger context of the upcoming Rio+20 review conference  in June.  The larger significance was not lost on these women, and many gathered from diverse sectors, including NGO’s, neighborhood associations, and women’s groups participated and contributed to the Tribunal.  All of the women in attendance agreed that there is a need for continued follow up in order to fully participate in the Rio+20 process and to help coordinate an alternative forum to the official conference process.

"Vozes Reforço: Busca de Soluções" Tribunais da Mulher, uma série de 15 tribunais e audiências na África, Ásia e América Latina

Summary of Main Recommendations:

o   The Tribunal spent a substantial amount of time on educating the base of grassroots women on the Rio+20 issues and processes.

o   The women discussed the Durban proposals and the road to the Rio20+, including local coordination and how to best incorporate grassroots women’s voices.

o   There was agreement by all in attendance for continued follow up in order to fully participate and help coordinate the alternative forum.

o   The group prioritized outreach to other social movements, particularly the cooperative

o   women’s movements.

o   Everyone agreed that further educational workshops and meetings need to take place in order for grassroots women to better understand environmental issues, carbon credits, and who is profiting from the global climate issue.

Primary Concerns:

o   Inequitable and unfair development that relies on the operation of women who work little or no money.

o   "Crisis of care" and its impact on women, environmental justice and environmental racism.

o   Priority to make contact with national and regional networks-particularly global women in rural and urban areas indigenous women, black, maroon, the solidarity economy, and lesbians.

Follow Up:

o   Participation and Meeting with regional women at the Social Forum in Rio Grande do Sul in late January.

o   Network meeting with Co-Creative New Earth

(www.portalnovaterra.tv / news_criativa) and

participation in monthly meetings with GT

Civil Society towards Rio +20.

o   Coordination with alternative forum directors to ensure the representation of grassroots women in the formal and informal conference.

.     Women's Tribunal:  Gender and Climate Justice:  BRAZIL

Date:  October 29, 2011

Location: Rio de Janeiro

Organizers:  Cidadao Global

Contact:  Ramona Ortega, ramona.ortega@gmail.com

For more information, contact Rosa Lizarde, Global Coordinator, Feminist Task Force at <rosaencasa@aol.com>

The Feminist Task Force was established under the umbrella of the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) in March, 2005, emphasizing gender equality as central to poverty eradication.