Welcome to the third edition of GEDA Insights, the Gender and Environment Data Alliance’s Newsletter. GEDA was formed by 17 founding organizations to improve availability, accessibility, understanding, and application of quality and robust data and information at the gender and environment nexus.
In this issue, we cover the results of our 2023 Membership Drive, provide updates on our Governance structure and interview ARROW, one of our newest Core Partners and member of our Interim Steering Committee. We also announce the Global Conference on Gender and Environment Data, to be held before COP28, among other exciting updates!
Thank you for reading and sharing!
WEDO & IUCN on behalf of GEDA
Our first Membership Drive, launched in June 2023, resulted in more than 400 applications to join GEDA as Members, Core Partners or as part of the Data Advisory Group. As we finalize the First Round of the Membership Drive, we are excited to welcome:
- 33 Core Partners (of which 22 are based in the Global South and 16 work at the local level) and
- 27 New Members (of which 17 are based in the Global South and 9 work at the local level).
GEDA’s co-conveners and founding members are excited about this expansion, which will enable us to strengthen our advocacy and technical guidance at the intersection of gender, the environment/climate, and data, informed by the realities and expertise of many more institutions working all over the world.
To join GEDA’s membership, apply here. The next round of members will be considered in early 2024 – stay tuned for updates!
Join Us!
As GEDA expands its membership and takes steps towards becoming a more formalized alliance, we have set up an Interim Steering Committee (ISC) for a six-month period (October 2023 to March 2024). The ISC is made up of GEDA’s co-conveners (IUCN and WEDO) plus five additional representatives from among GEDA’s Core Partners: ARROW, Data2X, IISD, IWDA, and UNFPA. In addition to overseeing GEDA’s initial membership Drive, the Interim Steering Committee will define GEDA’s 2024 workplan, and determine and launch the process for electing GEDA’s full Steering Committee. The elections will begin in February, and GEDA members will vote to elect up to eight institutional representatives, with regional and thematic balance. GEDA’s full Steering Committee will take over from the interim group in April 2024, for a two-year initial term.
To become more involved in GEDA’s governance, including subsequent rounds of Steering Committee elections, apply to join GEDA’s membership.
GEDA Consultancy Briefs
GEDA is pleased to share its new series of Topic Briefs, written by GEDA Technical Consultant Trimita Chakma. These five initial briefs each provide a literature landscape summary about specific topics at the gender, environment and data nexus. Each will be accompanied by an overview blog, coming soon to GEDA’s Resources webpage!
Data for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
This collective position paper, published in 2022 by ESCR-Net, analyzes key gaps in how states produce and use data to make decisions that affect economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR). The paper identifies a set of five principles and recommendations for states to gather, analyze and use data in ways that advance ESCR and reduce inequalities, in line with existing legal obligations. As we witness the relentless increase in mass-scale gathering and use of personal data by the private sector, the collective position re-affirms the role of states in producing data that is accurate, representative and relevant for policy making, as well as to regulate the private sector to protect human rights. An abridged version is also available in French, Arabic and Portuguese as well as English, alongside a brief highlighting case studies of ESCR-Net members’ experiences with strengthening communities’ participation in official data collection.
Mapping Climate Finance and Vulnerability
Development Initiatives, one of our newest Core Partners, has created a new interactive data tool focused on climate vulnerability, climate finance and protracted crisis, which allows users to explore available data on official development assistance (ODA) to find out how much of it is spent on climate finance relative to a country’s level of climate vulnerability and experience of protracted humanitarian crisis. The beta version of this interactive chart is available for feedback.
An Interview with ARROW, a new Core Partner and Interim Steering Committee Representative
Gender Climate Tracker Webinar:
A Tool on Your Road to COP28
November 15
WEDO is pleased to invite all gender-environment data enthusiasts to join us at our upcoming open webinar on the Gender Climate Tracker: A Tool on your Road to COP28. WEDO’s Gender Climate Tracker platform (GCT) seeks to track gender-responsive climate action globally, particularly in relation to the implementation of UNFCCC climate policy.
Gender Environment Data Conference
November 28 – 29
GEDA Members UN Women and UNFCCC, and co-conveners IUCN and WEDO, together with the COP28 Presidency and the UN Climate Change High Level Champions are proud to organize “Counting on a Sustainable Future: Global Conference on Gender and Environment Data,” an official pre-conference of COP28 to be held virtually and in person in Dubai, from 28-29 November 2023.
GEDA Side Event at COP28
December 3
In partnership with our members ARROW and WEP GEDA will be organizing an official COP28 side event on elevating local and national gender and environment data. If you will be at COP28, please plan to join us on 3 December, 16:45-18:15, in SE Room 7, to find out more about the contributions of gender-environment data to UNFCCC processes and beyond.
