Women’s Affairs Ministers from Commonwealth countries, including Nigeria, have endorsed a comprehensive roadmap aimed at advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls, particularly in the context of climate action.
The roadmap was developed during a three-day meeting in The Bahamas, attended by Women’s Affairs Ministers from Commonwealth nations. It was crafted through extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including survivors of domestic violence, civil society representatives, and women with disabilities.
As part of the roadmap, the Women’s Affairs Ministers pledged to strengthen efforts to address inequality in key Commonwealth priority areas in the coming years. This includes promoting the increased participation of women in climate finance, providing greater support for women with disabilities, creating more economic opportunities for women, ensuring better representation in decision-making positions, and enhancing protections against gender-based violence.
The outcome statement capturing the commitments made by the Ministers, who collectively represent 2.5 billion people, was released at the end of the meeting on August 23, 2023. Next year, the roadmap will be presented to leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
Reflecting on the importance of the roadmap, Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, emphasized that millions of women and girls face disproportionate impacts from injustice, climate change, violence, and discrimination. She highlighted the Commonwealth’s determination to lead by example in achieving sustainable development and climate justice for all.
To ensure accountability and monitor progress, the Commonwealth Secretariat will utilize a set of indicators based on the roadmap and coordinate necessary actions through a ministerial action group. This group will focus on overcoming challenges that hinder progress in this area.
Recognizing the disproportionate effects of climate change on women and girls, the Ministers shared successful practices from their respective countries that empower women and girls to overcome these impacts.
Furthermore, the Ministers and senior officials urged the Commonwealth to advocate for an inclusive ‘Loss and Damage Fund’ that equally addresses the needs of women and girls.
The meeting, chaired by Obediah Wilchcombe, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development of The Bahamas, yielded substantive outcomes. Minister Wilchcombe expressed appreciation for the roadmap, affirming the commitment of The Bahamas and other countries to follow it to make a real difference. He emphasized the importance of progress and ensuring that the meeting sets a higher standard and a faster pace.
Acknowledging the significance of engaging men and boys in the prevention and combatting of gender-based violence, the Ministers welcomed the launch of Secretary-General Patricia Scotland’s ‘For the Women in my Life’ campaign. This campaign, to be rolled out across the Commonwealth, will take a culturally sensitive approach to involve men and boys as active allies in addressing violence against women and girls.
The Ministers emphasized the need for comprehensive data that is disaggregated by sex to develop evidence-based solutions and target them more effectively.
The Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting took place from August 21 to 23, 2023 in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas and was hosted by the Government of The Bahamas.
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