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The 52nd Session of the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women, a sub-body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), was held from February 14 to March 4, 2011 at UN headquarters in New York. The development of sustainable, gender-aware policies was (again) made a priority.
One of the three thematic resolutions adopted, initiated by the Government of the Philippines and supported by 53 countries (including Italy), was devoted to climate change and the differing relationship that men and women have with this global problem, mitigation techniques and adaptation strategies. There are pronounced differences in the livelihood opportunities available to women throughout the world, and wages are often less, despite needing the same experience and expertise, and doing the same amount of work, as their male counterparts. Statistics from both rich countries and poor countries reflect this reality. These socio-economic differences remain in place because of institutions and/or cultural habits and social policies; however, they are now considered by the United Nations, the European Union, and other national and regional entities, as needing special intervention to correct social injustice based on gender. Recognizing gender inequality only provides more impetus for committing the time, energy, and financial resources necessary to fight climate change.
This resolution follows many other official documents in recognizing the importance of introducing gender-based analysis of the impacts of new policies and the allocation of funds for climate change mitigation. It includes three primary elements:
- It is now clear that climate change is having the strongest effects, especially in countries with greater and more widespread poverty. In these countries, the most vulnerable will suffer the most: those with the least educated; with limited access to information (including weather);and little access to financial services or investment programs, especially for agriculture. In this profile is filled mainly by women, who in many places are directly dependent on the availability of and their access to natural resources.
- In many countries women have a greater knowledge of the behavior and characteristics of different plant species. Through this knowledge you can find natural alternatives (?) to local climate change. Thus, in many places women must be at the forefront of natural resource management. Including the knowledge and participation of women is essential to achieve effective results.
- Policies that set out the types of interventions to prioritize and economic choices have to be the result of group decision-making – with equal participation of women. Women occupy different production profiles in society. They are responsible for the great majority of family care in all parts of the world, especially caring for the young and the older people in the household. Including women in decision-making is a positive step with collective benefits that cannot be ignored.
Today, there is very little gender equality in decision- and policy-making, especially when it comes to reducing the causes of climate change or implementing mitigation or adaptation measures. This failure could result in the worsening of current inequalities between men and women.
The resolution offers a range of interventions including:
- Greater investment in the processes of decision making to ensure greater participation and fair representation of gender;
- More attention directed to understanding the different effects climate change has on men and women;
- The introduction of a chapter in every annual report produced by the member countries of the UNFCCC(United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change) which details the advances that have been made to better integrate gender issues in mitigation and adaptation .
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Climate Change 
