Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt), Nov 11 – A group of 41 women’s organizations from Asia, Africa and Latin America (Global South), presented today within the framework of the COP27 climate summit in Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt). an alliance aimed at improving, lobbying and securing direct, flexible and long-term financing of priorities for women and girls.

This alliance, called the Women of the Global South Alliance for Property and Climate, will seek to increase direct financing for climate issues for indigenous, Afro-descendant and local community women’s groups and will seek to influence changes in the current financing architecture. to secure money for their specific agendas, which also includes land tenure.

In a statement sent by the organization, Archana Soreng, a climate activist from India and part of the youth advisory council for climate change of the UN, pointed out that “indigenous women, Afro-descendants and local communities should be leaders of the climate action, not victims of climate politics”.

“Funding should not leave these groups behind. We are working on a global issue that needs global perspectives, and that is what this new women’s alliance is about,” she added.

In its note, the group recognized that the promise of 1,700 million dollars made by governments and donors to support these groups at the COP26 in Glasgow is a step in the right direction, although “this money should try to repair not only the lack of funding for indigenous and local communities, but must also address the rights of women and girls within those communities, whose access to direct funding has been severely limited.”

According to data released by the organization, a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that in 2018, of the funds for organizations that advocate for gender justice, only 8% went to institutions in developing countries or directly to those working directly in communities.

“Even where funding reaches indigenous, Afro-descendant or local community women’s organizations, it tends to be inadequate and short-term,” said Omaira Bolaños, director for Latin America and gender justice programs at the Rights and Rights Initiative. Means.

“This alliance is a grassroots movement, a network of support that urges donors and governments to rectify this historical gap in direct access to climate finance for women and girls. The alliance that includes women’s groups from 21 countries of the Global South makes visible the leadership role these women have been playing in conservation and climate action for centuries.”

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