- The National Forum recognizes the importance of gender to public policies on water.
- Participants include Representatives of the Peruvian State, governments, and international organizations.
- Rosa Gálvez-Cloutier, Canadian senator of Peruvian origin and renowned researcher, will discuss the role of education in promoting water conservation and gender equality.
- During the event, Ministers will recognize 20 women from all over Peru for their contributions to the care of water and ecosystems. The winners of the “Reflejos de Igualdad” photo contest will also be awarded.
Lima, Peru │ The Peruvian government, together with USAID and the Government of Canada, will organize the first forum on Gender Equality and Water Security to solve climate change and gender inequality problems that affect Peru and the Caribbean.
The meeting will be held between June 11 and 13 in Lima and will bring together private and public sector specialists in natural resources, environmental management, and gender. Representatives of governments, education, and international research centers will also participate.
“Gender inequality causes disadvantages for all people, but especially for women, who are the most vulnerable in our societies. Climate change impoverishes territories and exacerbates impacts to natural resources. The disadvantageous situation in which women live is thus further aggravated, increasing inequalities,” says Patricia Carrillo, senior specialist in Gender of the Natural Infrastructure and Water Security Project that supports the organization of this forum.
Public policies should focus on closing gaps created by the inequality of gender roles assigned and organized by society. This inequity affects access to land ownership, the use of water, workload, and access to positions of authority. The gender gap directly impacts access to goods, services, opportunities, and ultimately the quality of life and well-being.
Carrillo also stressed the importance of including ancestral knowledge, practices, and the needs of women in public policies on water usage and security. Women’s participation is achieved by ensuring their participation in debates and decision making.
“Men and women use water differently, and that difference is marked by the traditional sexual division of labor that makes men responsible for productive work and women responsible for care work. That is why it’s not right for solely men to participate and decide on water use policies, since this excludes the needs of other user populations, in this case, women and the family,” the specialist notes.
The Forum serves to facilitate sharing experiences and proposing solutions to global problems and within the Peruvian context.
Information:
- The Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, the Minister of the Environment, and the Minister of Women and Vulnerable Populations of Peru will participate in the event. The Head of the National Water Authority (ANA), the President of the Board of Directors of the National Superintendence of Sanitation Services (SUNASS), and representatives of the private business sector, such as Coca Cola will also be present.
- Kate Brauman, Lead Scientist Global Water Initiative, from the University of Minnesota will give the keynote speech: Water Security and Gender Equality. Dr. Deborah McGregor, from the University of York (Canada), will also speak, discussing indigenous knowledge of water conservation, forests, and sustainable development.
- Rosa Gálvez-Cloutier, an engineer at UNI and Canadian senator of Peruvian origin, will explain the role of education in promoting water conservation and gender equality.
- The Forum will include representative delegations from all regions of the country directly involved in the management and care of water resources.
Details:
- Forum on Gender Equality and Water Security
- Date: June 11, 12 and 13, 2019
- Place: Hotel Los Delfines – Salón Mediterráneo (San Isidro)