South-South Exchange of WEP Partners
PART 1: South-South Exchange of WEP Partners during COP27 – WEP
Participating countries: Nigeria, Niger and Togo
Venue: Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Goal: Enhanced knowledge, networks and skills to influence global climate change negotiation and influence implementation of local climate
change actions.
Summary of Exchange: WEP, with the support of Climate Action in Africa project, organized a South-South Exchange among civil society organizations and women’s groups in Africa during the 27th session of the Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that held from 6-18 November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The South-South Exchange provided a learning platform for participants through side events and official meetings of the UNFCCC. High point of the South-South Exchange was a capacity building and knowledge sharing event on the UNFCCC process organized for participants on the 15th of November, 2022.
Outcomes: Many participants gained new experience they before now had no opportunity to experience. They were introduced to the global climate change negotiations space for the first time. The South-South Exchange was a memorable experience for the participants and a great opportunity to learn, unlearn and network. This is very important to contribute to achieving the goal of the Climate Action Africa project, and shared a part of the history of establishing the Loss and Damage Fund. The South-South Exchange was a seed sown to later grow into different climate change actions that will build the resilience of vulnerable communities and populations.
PART 2: Participation of AWGGCC to SBI 58 BONN Germany – WEP
Participating countries: Nigeria and Liberia
Venue: Bonn, Germany
Summary of Exchange: Members of the African Working Group on Gender and Climate Change (AWGGCC) were supported through the Climate Action Africa Project to participate at the 58th sessions of the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Bodies that held at the World Conference Center, Bonn, Germany from 5-15 June 2023. 5 members of the AWGGCC from Nigeria and Liberia attended this conference.
Goal: The participation of African Working Group on Gender and Climate Change (AWGGCC) at SB58 aimed to ensure that gender issues from Africa are prioritized and integrated into the negotiation texts of thematic areas that would be taken to CoP28 in UAE, in December 2023. It also provided spaces for learning between gender experts in Africa and other continents during the SBI58.
Outcomes: The participation at SB58 contributed to successful launch of COP28 advocacy and women’s demands at COP28. Given that WEP and other members of AWGGCC were playing key roles in the gender and climate advocacy of the Women and Gender Constituency as WEP was co-hosting a side event with Women and Gender Constituency, this Climate Action Africa participation was essential for the delivery of the side event. The participation at SB58 enhanced networking with other women’s groups and gender organizations. The participation at SB58 also enhanced the knowledge and skills of WEP as an organization for coordinating feminist climate justice advocacy and gaining information about emerging issues within the climate change and gender space.
