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Climate change today tops the list of global problems and is recognised as an all-out strife for humanity. In addition to the international climate conventions in effect for years, the Paris Climate Agreement that entered into force in November 2016 explicitly recognised the gender link with climate change. Such statement at the United Nations is viewed as a significant opportunity to strengthen women’s role in climate change policies (low carbon economy, renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, climate-friendly cities etc.).
Women’s role in climate response is increasingly occupying the global agenda. The gender equality perspective is recently being included the climate policies of Turkey, a signatory to the Paris Agreement. The project “Women: Missing Component in Turkey’s Climate Response” took up the issue first time in Turkey to accelerate the process, and was completed by the logistic partnership of Global Balance Association and Turkish Women's Association through efforts lasting nearly a year. The project is supported by the United Nations Development Program and a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Small Grants Programme (SGF).
The project’s final report “Women’s Solutions to Climate Change in Turkey” was shared with the participants in the closing meeting in Ankara on 8 February 2018 with participation from many segments of the society engaged in climate response, including particularly women’s civil society organisations. The report offers a roadmap on how women may be involved as decision-makers in a range of sectors and policies relating to climate response in Turkey, and areas such as climate economy and funding, energy, agriculture, food, urban planning, nature protection, water management and healthcare.
Climate is not only women’s, but everybody’s issue; however, this initiative emphasises women’s leadership in solving the problem. It is thus reminded that women, rural and urban, are active actors in forging gender responsive climate policies. This endeavour both prepares women’s rights organisations in Turkey for climate response and identifies obstacles to implementing gender responsive climate policies in the country. Such a process that will create a new space of policy in the area of action by women’s rights organisations is also the first of its kind in Turkey in that sense.