Statement submitted by WFWPI to the UN Commission on the Status of Women

Commission on the Status of Women Sixty-sixth session 14-25 March 2022 Follow-up to the Fom·th World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled “Wome11 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-fu·st century”

Statement submitted by Women’s Fede1·ation for World Peace International, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council*

The Secreta1y-General has received the following staternent, which is being circulated in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 3 7 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.

* The present staten1ent is issued witl1out fo1111al editing.

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The Eartl1, Our Home, All Life, Our Fa1nily

Tlris statement is presented by the Women’s Federation for World Peace International

(WFWPI) on behalf of its me1nbers in 97 countries, addressing the priority theme of tl1e 66tl1

Sessio11 of the United Nations Com1nissio11 011 the Status of Wome11, “Aclrieving gender

equality and the e1npowerment of all women and girls in the co11text of clim ate change,

environmental an d disaster risk redt1ction policies and progra1nmes.” Tlris voice is

strengtl1ened by the organizations th at have sign ed tllis statement .

All life i11 the Universe is interco1mected an d interdepende11t. Mutual pr osperity an d

st1stainable development for all are at th e core of tl1e 1nission of global peace. Tlris is a

collective goal to wlricl1 l1urnanity can all aspire. In essen ce, one can imagine tlris world as

one family where eve1y individual lives for th e sake of the other and for the shared well -

being of all life on earth. Tl1e family is the co1nerstone of world peace and peace begins at

l1ome. WFWPI envisions a world of peace and prosperity where women lead alongs ide m en

with the femi1rine leaderslrip paradig1n, invoking the feminin e 1naternal insti11cts of love,

virtue, nurturance, vvell-being, cooper ation and education, ensuring all life-sustaining needs

are met for the sake of the world as one ht1man family. I1nplen1enting the collective, universal

principles tl1at serve all life, motl1ers, wives, daughters a11d sisters are e1npowered to unite as

the agents of peace, sustainable develop111ent a11d planeta1y h ealing ,vhich are tl1e 1nost

pressing global issues facing us today.

The Sixth Assessment Report of the U 1rited N ations Intergover1une11tal Pan el on

Clim ate Ch ange 2021 paints wh at many are calling a catastroplric picture of the effect cli1nate

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change is havi11g on tl1e world. According to tl1e report, l1uman actions l1ave already

significantly altered three-quarters of land and two-tllirds of marine environments.

Additionally, the report notes that “hun1an-induced climate change is already affecting many

weatl1er and cli1nate extre111es” around the world (Surmnary for Policymakers, p. 10).

A significant area of l1U1nru1 i1npact on tl1e e11viromnent is the fashion indl1stry, which,

according to an article pl1blished in Marcl12019 011 United Nations News, is “widely believed

to be tl1e second 1nost polluting indushy in the world” where “eve1y second, the equivalent of

one garbage n·uck of textiles is landfilled or burned” (“UN launches drive to highlight

environmental cost of staying fashionable”). According to a story reported on tl1e United

Nations Environment Progra1mne website in Nove111ber 2018 and updated in Jlme 2021 , tl1e

fashio11 industry “prodl1ces between 2 to 8 percent of global carbo11 emissio11s … If nothing

changes, by 2050 the fasllion indl1st1·y will 11se 11p a ql1arter of the world’s carbon budget”

(“Putting the brakes on fast fashion”).

During this time of COVID-19 pande1nic and e11viromnental crisis, it is essential for

men and women leaders alike to build together a world strategy of how to 1nove forv:,rard as a

world family by workiI1g collaboratively to address the urgent environmental crisis . The

clll·rent problems of the world cannot be solved by nationalism. Tl1e pa11demic-bo1n

nationalis1n, leading to the closing of borders, ineqt1ity in all f or1ns, and the flare-up of racial

and ethnic violence only demonstrate nationalisn1 ‘s limiting nature. N ational pride and self-

determinatio11 ru·e good and rigl1t only when tl1ey are dedicated to serving the global

con1munity. We are beginning to see that tl1e light at the end of the tunnel for these global

proble1ns will need to incl11de a 1111ified peace mission and a shru·ed respo11sibility to

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implement sustainable actions for the sake of life on earth. We need to move beyond

nationalism, beyond globalism, to a higher universal holis1n that values the well-being of all

life on earth.

WFWPI Solutions to the Envirom11ental Crisis:

WFWPI mitigates enviromnental catastropl1e by worki11g in part11ership witl1

gover11ments and the private sector in our cl1apters throughout the world to promote

permaculture education, circular fashion, and green commUility livelil1ood projects.

WFWPI recently launched Giving for Good International (GFGI), a global campaign

wlrich raises aware11ess and fin1ds to address tl1e e11vironmental crisis tlu·ough circt1lar

fashion. GFGI provides opportunities for co1n1ntulities to kickstart enviro1unental projects

that help reduce tl1eir carbon footprint. Since its lat1ncl1 in 2020, Givi11g for Good has raised

$250,000 to finld climate action projects in count1ies such as Paragt1ay, Brazil, the

Philippines, Albania, Gharia, South Africa, Mali, Kenya, BUI·kina Faso, Zambia and

Some of the projects tl1at GFGI sponsors inclt1de tl1e Clotl1 Nappy Project, a progra111

that creates st1stainable diapers tl1at can be reused in order to eli1ninate waste; tl1e

Permaculture Literacy Program, a l1olistic edt1cation and leadership program that focuses on

regenerative land mariage1nent arid design; Circular Fashio11, a campaign encotu·aging people

to buy second-ha11d and reuse their textile waste ; arid Reforestation projects, wllich plant new

trees into the Earth while spreading awareness on environmental protection. Tl1ese projects

specifically co11tribute to goals 8, 11, 12, 13, and 17 of tl1e Sustainable Development Goals.

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Despite the development of civilizations and science, tl1e conti11ued e1nission of

greenl1ouse gases and the polll1tion of tl1e environment seriously hamper tl1e qu ality of life

for our future generations. Women need to unite as leaders, 1nothers, wives, da11ghters and

sisters to be the agents of peace, healing tl1e Earth by paving tl1e path towards holism,

Sl1stainable develop1nent and 1nutual prosperity.

Recormnendations:

WFWPI en courages Member-States and civil society to vvork together in solidarity

and cooperation, supporting policies for envirorunental literacy an1ong the youth, women,

families and co1mnunities, to empower the1n as stewards of the planet and contributors to

their co111munity a11d nation. A set of Uiliversal principles 1nl1St be respected and imple1nented

iI1 order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

WFWPI encoUI·ages Member-States to co11sider integrating the planeta1y bluepri11t of

sustainability into the fundamental governing principles i11 national policies, investing in

environmental literacy and stewardsllip programs, in partnersllip witl1 local governme11ts and

the civil society sector to reach the Sl1stainable Development Goals by 2030. Holistic

preve11tive measures ar e 11eeded to avert fUither e11viI·o11mental crises.

WFWPI encoUI·ages Member-States, religiollS leaders and business leaders to work i11

1nl1tually beneficial cooperation, investing in technology, environmental literacy and clim ate -

action initiatives instead of investing in weapons and wars. Scientifi c development should be

aligned witl1 the principles tl1at allow all life to flourisl1 and to co-exist l1ar1noniol1sl y.

111 conclusio11, WFWPI and all signatories woltld like to re1nind the Member-States of

tl1e notio11 of the global family that was implied in the Preamble of tl1e 2030 Agenda for

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Sustainable Development. A family “leaves no one behind,” seeking “universal peace in

larger freedom” (A/RES/70/1) . In this ti1ne of global introspection and existential wor1y, we

are all challenged daily in our private and public lives to live in solidarity, taking care of,

considering and living for tl1e sake of one anotl1er as 011e extended, global fainily. This is a

defining moment.

Tlris statement is endorsed by:

Active Intervention for Mothers

Congregation of Our Lady of Chai·ity of the Good Shepherd

Gradt1ate Wo1nen Internatio11al

I11ternatio11al Alliance of Wome11

International Federation of Business and Professional Women

Latter-day Saint Charities

Montage Initiative

National Alliance of Wo1nen’s Orga11izations

Soroptilnist Internatio11al

Umversal Peace Federation

Widows Rights Inte1national

Women’s World Sum1nit Foundation