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Contemporary Issues in the Regulation of ADR in Kenya

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By Dr. Kariuki Muigua, PhD (Leading Environmental Law Scholar, Sustainable Development Policy Advisor, Natural Resources Lawyer and Dispute Resolution Expert from Kenya), The African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021, CIArb (Kenya) Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 and ADR Publisher of the Year 2021*

Some of the contemporary issues in the regulation of ADR in Kenya include referral of disputes to ADR, that is, whether the same is compulsory or voluntary, obligations of parties to participate in ADR and standards and accreditation of ADR practitioners.

Referral of disputes to ADR

Law makers need to decide which method of ADR referral should be employed. Referral may be compulsory by a court or voluntary, where parties are at will to decide whether to submit their dispute to an ADR forum. It may also be mandatory or at the discretion of the referrer, as contemplated in the Mediation (Pilot Project) Rules, 2015. The Civil Procedure Act provides for discretionary compulsory referral as well as voluntary referral. Where there is compulsory participation, it is important that there be established professional standards for the process as well as for the practitioners, to ensure a quality process and a quality outcome. These processes also need to be described so as effectively promote public confidence. It is noteworthy that one of the main reasons why most of the ADR mechanisms are popular and preferred to litigation are their relative party autonomy which makes parties gain and retain control over the process and the outcome.

It is therefore important for the court to ensure that there is no foreseeable factor that may interfere with this autonomy as it may defeat the main purpose of engaging in these processes. One of the constitutional requirements with regard to access to justice in Kenya is that the State should ensure that cost should not impede access to justice and, if any fee is required, the same should be reasonable. It is, therefore, important that even where persons use private means of accessing justice, the cost should be reasonable. This is especially where there was no prior agreement to engage in ADR.

One of the advantages of ADR mechanisms is that the outcome is flexible and parties can settle on outcomes that satisfactorily address their needs. This should not be lost as it would affect parties’ ability and willingness to participate in such processes. Courts are, therefore, under obligation to ensure that parties are able to access justice using the most viable and cost effective conflict management mechanism. In this regard, courts can play a facilitative role in encouraging the use of ADR and TDR mechanisms to access justice.

Obligations of parties to participate in ADR

Compulsory participation in ADR is highly opposed by those in favour of voluntary participation in ADR who argue that conciliation or mediation is essentially a consensual process that requires the co-operation and consent of the parties. On the other hand, those who argue in favour of compulsory participation in ADR respond that if the dispute is removed from the adversarial procedures of the courts and exposed to procedures designed to promote compromise, then even the most fundamental resistance to compromise can turn to co-operation and consent. The element of ‘good faith’ which is usually present in voluntary ADR is not assured in compulsory ADR, leading states and courts to give rules requiring parties to participate in ADR in good faith or ‘in a meaningful manner.’

Courts also sanction parties for violations of a good faith-participation requirement such as for failing to attend or participate in an ADR process or engaging in a pattern of obstructive, abusive, or dilatory tactics. Sanctions include the shifting of costs and attorney’s fees, contempt, denial of trial de novo, and even dismissal of the lawsuit. Law makers should thus have regard to what conduct constitutes good conduct, a system of handling claims of bad faith, maintenance of the confidentiality of the process even as such case of bad faith is before the court and the effects of non-compliance with the good faith participation requirement.

The overall goal should be to promote meaningful access to justice for all. For purposes of ensuring justice is done, sometimes courts may force parties to the negotiating table especially where one of the parties refuses to do so with ulterior motive of defeating justice. The third party umpire in collaboration with the court, where necessary, may invent ways of dealing with power imbalances and bad faith for the sake of ensuring justice is achieved.

Standards and Accreditation of ADR practitioners

It has been argued that development of standards of practitioners will ensure much greater accountability of practitioners. Sociologists argue that professionals perform better “on stage” (in public) than they do “off stage” (in private) and this has consequences for issues of integrity in arbitration. It is argued that documented standards would also provide a source of information to enable consumers to know what to expect of an ADR practitioner, a basis for choosing a particular type of ADR, and an ‘industry norm’ against which to measure the performance of the practitioner. They would also improve the public awareness of ADR. These standards may be provided by either professional groups or by the government.

The standards of conduct of individual professional groups are still the primary source of regulation in most states. Codes of professional conduct tailored to mediation and ADR have been issued by various professional organizations. It is argued that as governments are increasingly legislating to require parties to attend ADR, such as in the litigation context, they need to be accountable for the competence of practitioners performing these services.66 Legislative instruments that provide for compulsory submission of a dispute to ADR should thus also provide minimum standards of conduct for the practitioners. The provision of standards will also go towards boosting the public’s confidence in ADR, as parties need to have confidence that the quality of the ADR service will meet the standards of professionalism.

Knowledge of how the practitioner’s standards are met through training and accreditation, as well as a complaints mechanism will also boost public awareness and public confidence. Standards may, however, in detailing the structure of ADR, restrain creative ways of solving disputes, and with ADR being applicable in a variety of contexts, standards may not be applicable in all the available contexts. Standards should be formulated with the objective of ensuring a fair ADR process, protecting the consumer, establishing public confidence and building capacity in the field. Issues to consider when setting out the duties and standards of ADR practitioners include: how the practitioner is to be selected, the role of the practitioner, impartiality, conflicts of interest, competence, confidentiality, the quality of the process, the termination of the ADR process, recording settlement, publicity, advertising and fees.

It has been suggested that rather than establishing a single body to accredit each mediator individually, a system is required to accredit organisations which in turn accredit mediators. In order for these organisations to be approved, they would need to develop common standards for initial assessment, as well as ongoing monitoring, review and disciplinary processes for mediator. The downside to this kind of approach would be the risk of locking out those who acquire their skills and expertise outside this jurisdiction as it would not be clear if they would need to compulsorily become members of local organisations for accreditation. For mediation, there is already in place Mediation Accreditation Committee but for the other mechanisms it is not clear how such an approach would be implemented as there exists no body at the moment. This also risks leaving out the informal experts who may be lacking in the required ‘professional’ qualifications to qualify to join such bodies. This requires careful consideration by the concerned stakeholders.

*This article is an extract from published article Regulating Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practice in Kenya: Looking into the Future,” by Dr. Kariuki Muigua, PhD, the African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021 (Nairobi Legal Awards), CIArb (Kenya) ADR Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 and ADR Publisher of the Year 2021. Dr. Kariuki Muigua is a Foremost Dispute Resolution Expert in Africa ranked among Top 6 Arbitrators in Kenya by Chambers and Partners, Leading Environmental Law and Natural Resources Lawyer and Scholar, Sustainable Development Advocate and Conflict Management Expert. Dr. Kariuki Muigua is a Senior Lecturer of Environmental Law and Dispute resolution at the University of Nairobi School of Law and The Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP). He has published numerous books and articles on Environmental Law, Environmental Justice Conflict Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Sustainable Development. Dr. Muigua is also a Chartered Arbitrator, an Accredited Mediator, the Africa Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Managing Partner of Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates. Dr. Muigua is recognized as one of the leading lawyers and dispute resolution experts by the Chambers Global Guide 2022 and is ranked among the Top 5 Arbitrators in Kenya in 2022 by The Lawyer Africa. 

References

Muigua, K., “Regulating Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practice in Kenya: Looking into the Future,” Available at: http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Regulating-ADR-Practice-in-Kenya-Kariuki-Muigua-June-2018.pdf (accessed 09 July 2022).

News & Analysis

Way Forward in Actualizing Gender Equity for Environmental Sustainability

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By Hon. Prof. Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, C.Arb, FCIArb is a Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution at the University of Nairobi, Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration, Leading Environmental Law Scholar, Respected Sustainable Development Policy Advisor, Top Natural Resources Lawyer, Highly-Regarded Dispute Resolution Expert and Awardee of the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) of Kenya by H.E. the President of Republic of Kenya. He is the Academic Champion of ADR 2024, the African ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, the African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, ADR Practitioner of the Year in Kenya 2021, CIArb (Kenya) Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 and ADR Publisher of the Year 2021 and Author of the Kenya’s First ESG Book: Embracing Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) tenets for Sustainable Development” (Glenwood, Nairobi, July 2023) and Kenya’s First Two Climate Change Law Book: Combating Climate Change for Sustainability (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Achieving Climate Justice for Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Promoting Rule of Law for Sustainable Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) and Actualizing the Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024)*

Achieving environmental sustainability has become a pertinent concern in the wake of global environmental challenges especially the threat of climate change. Despite efforts being made towards fostering gender equity, it has been observed that gender disparities are evident in the sphere of environmental governance and management a situation that hinders environmental sustainability and realization of Sustainable Development.

There is a need for active participation of both men and women in the management of natural resources and environmental governance in order to foster environmental sustainability. This can be achieved through public participation and access to information; embracing the role of women in in environment and natural resource decision making and leadership; economic empowerment of women and implementing national policies and programmes on gender such as Kenya’s National Policy on Gender and Development.

There is need to actualize gender equity in order to enhance environmental sustainability. It has been stated that gender equality and women’s empowerment are matters of fundamental human rights and prerequisites to meeting Sustainable Development goals around the world. This fact is acknowledged by the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which asserts that realizing gender equality and empowerment of women will make a crucial contribution towards progress across all the Sustainable Development Goals and targets.

Sustainable Development Goal 5 seeks to ensure effective and full participation of women and equal opportunities at all levels of decision making in political, economic and public life including access to ownership and control over land and natural resources. Realizing this goal is vital in actualizing gender equity for environmental sustainability. Further, there is need to foster participation of women in environmental decision making including formulation of laws and policies on the environment and implementation of environmental projects.

Public participation is a fundamental principle that can enhance sound management of the environment and natural resources towards environmental sustainability. The importance of public participation has been enunciated under the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. Public participation has also been captured as among the national values and principles of governance in Kenya. The Constitution also obliges the state to encourage public participation in the management, protection and conservation of the environment.

Public participation can foster the voice of women in environmental decision making and contribute towards the realization of environmental sustainability through sound and effective decisions that incorporate the decision of all concerned citizens including women. Women have always been the custodians of the environment and incorporating their views in environmental decision making will enhance the quality of such decisions thus fostering Sustainable Development. It is imperative to empower women and enhance access to information which are important tenets in fostering effective public participation.

The National Policy on Gender and Development in Kenya also envisages several ways through which gender equity can be realized for environmental sustainability. These include developing and reviewing environment, and other natural resources (including forests, water, mining, petroleum and energy) management laws, policies and programmes to ensure gender and equity compliance; ensuring availability of water for multiple use to women taking into account the gender division of labour that defines women’s domestic and productive activities in the household; ensuring that women participate in and benefit equitably from investments in various natural resources development initiatives; Building capacities of development agencies in gender mainstreaming into environment and climate change laws, policies and programmes and ensure that women participate in and contribute to and benefit from climate resilient programmes and projects and supporting interventions aimed at equitable participation of women in the sustainable utilization of natural resources for economic benefits including opportunities for carbon trading.

Realizing the vision of this policy is essential in actualizing gender equity for environmental sustainability in Kenya. It is indeed possible to achieve gender equality and equity if the National Policy on Gender and Development can be implemented and supported by good will from all groups of persons and all levels of government. It is also imperative embrace the role of women in in environment and natural resource decision making and leadership. This can be achieved by appointing women in leadership positions in ministries, state departments, environmental management bodies and other positions in environment related sectors.

Economic empowerment of women is also vital in actualizing gender equity and environmental sustainability. It can enhance the ability of women to access resources such as land, energy and water a factor that can enhance effective management of these resources towards environmental sustainability. Though the foregoing among other measures, gender equity can be actualized for environmental sustainability towards Sustainable Development. It has been argued that if countries are to achieve the Sustainable Development goals as well as their national development plans such as the Vision 2030 development blueprint in Kenya, then gender equality and equity must be addressed as a matter of priority since development requires concerted efforts of both men and women.

*This is an extract from Kenya’s First Clean and Healthy Environment Book: Actualizing the Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) by Hon. Prof.  Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution, Senior Advocate of Kenya, Chartered Arbitrator, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021 (Nairobi Legal Awards), ADR Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 (CIArb Kenya), African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, Africa ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, Member of National Environment Tribunal (NET) Emeritus (2017 to 2023) and Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration nominated by Republic of Kenya and Academic Champion of ADR 2024. Prof. Kariuki Muigua is a foremost Environmental Law and Natural Resources Lawyer and Scholar, Sustainable Development Advocate and Conflict Management Expert in Kenya. Prof. Kariuki Muigua teaches Environmental Law and Dispute resolution at the University of Nairobi School of Law, The Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) and Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies. He has published numerous books and articles on Environmental Law, Environmental Justice Conflict Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Sustainable Development. Prof. Muigua is also a Chartered Arbitrator, an Accredited Mediator, the Managing Partner of Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates and Africa Trustee Emeritus of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 2019-2022. Prof. Muigua is a 2023 recipient of President of the Republic of Kenya Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) Award for his service to the Nation as a Distinguished Expert, Academic and Scholar in Dispute Resolution and recognized among the top 5 leading lawyers and dispute resolution experts in Band 1 in Kenya by the Chambers Global Guide 2024 and was listed in the Inaugural THE LAWYER AFRICA Litigation Hall of Fame 2023 as one of the Top 50 Most Distinguished Litigation Lawyers in Kenya and the Top Arbitrator in Kenya in 2023.

References

‘What Is Gender and Biodiversity?’ Available at https://www.cbd.int/gender/biodiversity/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

African Charter on Human and People’s Rights., Available at https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36390-treaty-0011_- _african_charter_on_human_and _peoples_rights_e.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Crabtree. E., ‘Why we Need Gender Equity, Not Just Equality.’ Available at https://iqeq.com/insights/why-we-need-gender-equity-not-justequality/#:~:text=Gender%20equality%20is%20giving%20all,limit%20 how%20people%20access%20 opportunities. (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

DCED., ‘Gender Equality vs Equity.’ Available at https://www.enterprisedevelopment.org/weegateway/gender-equality-vs-equity/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

De Silva. DG., & Pownall. RA., ‘Going Green: Does it Depend on Education, Gender or Income? ‘ Applied Economics, Volume 46, No. 5. (2014) pp573–586.

Fitzmaurice. M., ‘The Principle of Sustainable Development in International Development Law.’ International Sustainable Development Law., Vol 1.

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Kariuki. J., & Birner. R., ‘Exploring Gender Equity in Ecological Restoration: The Case of a Market Based Program in Kenya.’ Available at https://er.uwpress.org/content/wper/39/1-2/77.full.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

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Morelli. J., ‘Environmental Sustainability: A Definition for Environmental Professionals.’ Journal of Environmental Sustainability, Volume 1, Issue 1 (2011).

Muigua. K., ‘Actualising the National Policy on Gender and Development in Kenya.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Actualising-theNational-Policy-on-Gender-and-Development-in-Kenya-Kariuki-Muigua-Ph.DOctober-2020.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Muigua. K., ‘Gender Perspectives in Biodiversity Conservation.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Gender-Perspectives-inBiodiversity-Conservation-Kariuki-Muigua-November-2021.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Muigua. K., ‘Towards Meaningful Public Participation in Natural Resource Management in Kenya.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wpcontent/uploads/2018/08/TOWARDS-MEANINGFUL-PUBLIC-PARTICIPATIONIN-NATURAL-RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT-IN-KENYA.pdf (Accessed on 12/09/2023).

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Progress and Pitfalls in Actualizing Gender Equity for Environmental Sustainability

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By Hon. Prof. Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, C.Arb, FCIArb is a Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution at the University of Nairobi, Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration, Leading Environmental Law Scholar, Respected Sustainable Development Policy Advisor, Top Natural Resources Lawyer, Highly-Regarded Dispute Resolution Expert and Awardee of the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) of Kenya by H.E. the President of Republic of Kenya. He is the Academic Champion of ADR 2024, the African ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, the African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, ADR Practitioner of the Year in Kenya 2021, CIArb (Kenya) Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 and ADR Publisher of the Year 2021 and Author of the Kenya’s First ESG Book: Embracing Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) tenets for Sustainable Development” (Glenwood, Nairobi, July 2023) and Kenya’s First Two Climate Change Law Book: Combating Climate Change for Sustainability (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Achieving Climate Justice for Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Promoting Rule of Law for Sustainable Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) and Actualizing the Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024)*

There have been some attempts towards fostering gender equity for environmental sustainability. The Third United Nations Women’s Conference held in Nairobi Kenya in 1985 was among the first international forums that made explicit the linkages between Sustainable Development and women’s involvement and empowerment as well as gender equality and equity. The conference identified the environment as an area of concern for women and called for a gender perspective on Sustainable Development, planning and implementation.

The Rio Declaration also envisages the participation of all people in environmental management. Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration states as follows: ‘Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant level. At the national level, each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities, including information on hazardous materials and activities in their communities, and the opportunity to participate in decisionmaking processes. States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available. Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy, shall be provided.’

Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration thus encapsulates several tenets that are vital in actualizing gender equity for environmental sustainability including participation of all citizens, access to information and access to justice. Upholding these principles can enhance gender equity for environmental sustainability. In Africa, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights stipulates that all people shall have the right to a general satisfactory environment favourable to their development. It also calls upon Africa states to ensure the elimination of every discrimination against women.

The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights therefore envisages the ideas of environmental sustainability and gender equity. Further, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa states that women shall have the right to live in a healthy and sustainable environment. It implores states to ensure greater participation of women in the planning, management and preservation of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources at all levels. The Protocol thus envisages the role of gender equity in environmental sustainability.

In Kenya, the Constitution enshrines equity and equality as being among the national values and principles of governance. It further captures the right of every person to a clean and healthy environment. The Constitution also obliges the state to encourage public participation in the management, protection and conservation of the environment. It also states that every person has a duty to cooperate with State organs and other persons to protect and conserve the environment and ensure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources. Actualizing these Constitutional provisions will foster gender equity for environmental sustainability in Kenya.

In addition, the National Policy on Gender and Development seeks to create a just, fair and transformed society free from gender-based discrimination in all spheres of life practices. The policy is further aimed at integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment into sectoral policies, planning and programmes including the environment and natural resources management. The policy acknowledges that access to and control over environmental resources is gender biased.

It seeks to promote gender equity for environmental sustainability through measures such as having women well represented in decision-making processes over the environment and natural resources; taking into account women’s input into climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies; reducing gender disparities in access to natural resources; providing affordable clean water to reduce health risks related to poor quality of water and providing gender-disaggregated data on the impacts of environmental and natural resources’ degradation and climate change.

Realizing the vision of this policy is vital in actualizing gender equity for environmental sustainability in Kenya. From the foregoing, it can be deduced that there have been attempts towards fostering gender equity for environmental sustainability. However, it has also been observed that there are still gender disparities which hinder effective realization of gender equity for sustainable development.

It has been observed that men are the main actors in the management of renewable and non-renewable natural resources such as forests, wildlife, minerals and natural gas. This has significant implications on the Gross Domestic Product and the livelihoods of Kenyans dependent on the environment and natural resources69. Further, gender disparities are also witnessed through cases of unequal and insecure rights over land with women being disproportionately disadvantaged.

In Kenya, it has been stated that there are gender inequalities in land ownership and representation. The Constitution of Kenya acknowledges this problem and enshrines the elimination of gender discrimination in law, customs and practices related to land and property in land as one of the principles of land policy in Kenya. Access to and secure tenure over land is closely linked to natural resource access and management, such as water and forest resources, with benefits for sustainable ecosystems.

In addition, it has been pointed out that looking at gender aspects of the use of natural resources such as water, forests and land and experiences of environmental degradation through climate change, pollution, chemicals, loss of biodiversity illustrates gender inequalities. Women are severely affected by challenges such as the lack of access to modern energy services, lack of access to safe and clean water and inadequate land rights due to their important role in sustaining households.

Furthermore, women have been severely impacted by the effects of climate change as witnessed by inadequate access to natural resources such as water, food insecurity due to drought which hinders farming activities and gender based violence. It has also been noted that inadequate representation by women in environmental governance in areas such as energy, forestry and land has resulted in mismanagement of these sectors contributing to the threat of climate change and adverse effects on women. It is necessary to solve these problems in order to actualize gender equity for environmental sustainability.

*This is an extract from Kenya’s First Clean and Healthy Environment Book: Actualizing the Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) by Hon. Prof.  Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution, Senior Advocate of Kenya, Chartered Arbitrator, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021 (Nairobi Legal Awards), ADR Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 (CIArb Kenya), African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, Africa ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, Member of National Environment Tribunal (NET) Emeritus (2017 to 2023) and Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration nominated by Republic of Kenya and Academic Champion of ADR 2024. Prof. Kariuki Muigua is a foremost Environmental Law and Natural Resources Lawyer and Scholar, Sustainable Development Advocate and Conflict Management Expert in Kenya. Prof. Kariuki Muigua teaches Environmental Law and Dispute resolution at the University of Nairobi School of Law, The Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) and Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies. He has published numerous books and articles on Environmental Law, Environmental Justice Conflict Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Sustainable Development. Prof. Muigua is also a Chartered Arbitrator, an Accredited Mediator, the Managing Partner of Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates and Africa Trustee Emeritus of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 2019-2022. Prof. Muigua is a 2023 recipient of President of the Republic of Kenya Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) Award for his service to the Nation as a Distinguished Expert, Academic and Scholar in Dispute Resolution and recognized among the top 5 leading lawyers and dispute resolution experts in Band 1 in Kenya by the Chambers Global Guide 2024 and was listed in the Inaugural THE LAWYER AFRICA Litigation Hall of Fame 2023 as one of the Top 50 Most Distinguished Litigation Lawyers in Kenya and the Top Arbitrator in Kenya in 2023.

References

‘What Is Gender and Biodiversity?’ Available at https://www.cbd.int/gender/biodiversity/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

African Charter on Human and People’s Rights., Available at https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36390-treaty-0011_- _african_charter_on_human_and _peoples_rights_e.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Crabtree. E., ‘Why we Need Gender Equity, Not Just Equality.’ Available at https://iqeq.com/insights/why-we-need-gender-equity-not-justequality/#:~:text=Gender%20equality%20is%20giving%20all,limit%20 how%20people%20access%20 opportunities. (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

DCED., ‘Gender Equality vs Equity.’ Available at https://www.enterprisedevelopment.org/weegateway/gender-equality-vs-equity/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

De Silva. DG., & Pownall. RA., ‘Going Green: Does it Depend on Education, Gender or Income? ‘ Applied Economics, Volume 46, No. 5. (2014) pp573–586.

Fitzmaurice. M., ‘The Principle of Sustainable Development in International Development Law.’ International Sustainable Development Law., Vol 1.

  1. J. Latham, “A study on gender equality as a prerequisite for sustainable development,” Report to the Environment Advisory Council, Sweden 2007:2, p. 17. Available at http://www.uft.oekologie.unibremen.de/hartmutkoehler_fuer_studierende/MEC/ 09-MECreading/gender%202007%20EAC%20rapport_engelska.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Geneva Environment Network., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/gender-and-theenvironment/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Goodland. R., ‘The Concept of Environmental Sustainability.’ Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, Volume 26 (1995), 1-24.

Hannan. C., ‘Mainstreaming Gender Perspectives in Environmental Management and Mitigation of Natural Disasters.’ Available at https://web.archive.org/web/20180721174301id_/http://www.un.org/ womenwat ch/osagi/pdf/presnat%20disaster.PDF (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

IUCN., ‘Gender and the Environment: What are the Barriers to Gender Equality in Sustainable Ecosystem Management?’ Available at https://www.iucn.org/news/gender/202001/gender-and-environment-what-are-barriers-gender-equality-sustainable-ecosystem-management (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Kariuki. J., & Birner. R., ‘Exploring Gender Equity in Ecological Restoration: The Case of a Market Based Program in Kenya.’ Available at https://er.uwpress.org/content/wper/39/1-2/77.full.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Kassinis. G et al., ‘Gender and Environmental Sustainability: A Longitudinal Analysis.’ Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management (2016).

Morelli. J., ‘Environmental Sustainability: A Definition for Environmental Professionals.’ Journal of Environmental Sustainability, Volume 1, Issue 1 (2011).

Muigua. K., ‘Actualising the National Policy on Gender and Development in Kenya.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Actualising-theNational-Policy-on-Gender-and-Development-in-Kenya-Kariuki-Muigua-Ph.DOctober-2020.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Muigua. K., ‘Gender Perspectives in Biodiversity Conservation.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Gender-Perspectives-inBiodiversity-Conservation-Kariuki-Muigua-November-2021.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Muigua. K., ‘Towards Meaningful Public Participation in Natural Resource Management in Kenya.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wpcontent/uploads/2018/08/TOWARDS-MEANINGFUL-PUBLIC-PARTICIPATIONIN-NATURAL-RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT-IN-KENYA.pdf (Accessed on 12/09/2023).

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/4/f/36360.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa., Available at https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WG/Prot ocolontheRightsofWomen.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development., ‘Our Common Future’ 1987 (Brundtland Report).

Republic of Kenya., ‘Sessional Paper No. 02 of 2019 on National Policy on Gender and Development.’ Available at http://psyg.go.ke/wpcontent/uploads/2019/12/NATIONAL-POLICY-ON-GENDER-ANDDEVELOPMENT.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Robinson. D., ‘15 Biggest Environmental Problems of 2023.’ Available at https://earth.org/the-biggest-environmental-problems-of-our-lifetime/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Shobeiri. S., & Meiboudi. H., ‘Women’s Participation in Environmental Management and Development Promotion Culture.’ Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311533595_Women’s _participation_in_e nvironmental_management_and_development_Promotion_Culture#:~:text=Women %20are%20the%20main%20cause,environmental%20management%20are%20so%20o bvious. (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

SIDA., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://cdn.sida.se/publications/files/-gender-and-the-environment.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Sphera., ‘What Is Environmental Sustainability?’ Available at https://sphera.com/glossary/what-is-environmental-sustainability/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://www.oecd.org/env/gender-and-theenvironment-3d32ca39-en.htm (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

UN Women., ‘Explainer: How Gender Inequality and Climate Change are Interconnected.’ Available at https://www.unwomen.org/en/newsstories/explainer/2022/02/explainer-how-gender-inequality-and-climate-changeare-interconnected?gclid=CjwKCAjw29ymBhAKEiwAHJbJ8p-iWBVsiOQq0h8- HiXaObwP7T1nztSxRGPldFcxcRs-fIzzRIQIgRoCVrIQAvD_BwE (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

UNICEF., ‘Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability.’ Available at https://www.unicef.org/india/what-we-do/climate-change (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs., ‘Forum on Climate Change and Science and Technology Innovation.’ Available at https://www.un.org/en/desa/forum-climate-change-andscience-and-technologyinnovation (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations Environment Programme., ‘About Gender.’ Available at https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/gender/about-gender (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change., ‘New Report: Why Climate Change Impacts Women Differently than Men.’ Available at https://unfccc.int/news/new-report-why-climate-change-impacts-womendifferently-thanmen?gclid=CjwKCAjw29ymBhAKEiwAHJbJ8ssIfst99WBehD0DHNpgs bjqaHye6wO iIPq9xBR4ZYRvsL8yf_KNgxoCskUQAvD_BwE (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

United Nations General Assembly., ‘Report of the United Nations Conference On Environment and Development: Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.’ A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. I), Principle 3.

United Nations, “The Role of Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality,” Women 2000 and Beyond, December 2008, p.4. Available at http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/media/publications/un/en/w 2000menandboyseweb.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations., ‘Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972’ Principle 2.

United Nations., ‘Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace.’ AlCONF.116128/Rev.1 48.

United Nations., ‘Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.’ Available at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda %20for%20Sustain able%20Development%20web.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

United Nations., ‘What is Climate Change?’ Available at https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

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The Nexus between Gender Equity and Environmental Sustainability

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By Hon. Prof. Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, C.Arb, FCIArb is a Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution at the University of Nairobi, Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration, Leading Environmental Law Scholar, Respected Sustainable Development Policy Advisor, Top Natural Resources Lawyer, Highly-Regarded Dispute Resolution Expert and Awardee of the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) of Kenya by H.E. the President of Republic of Kenya. He is the Academic Champion of ADR 2024, the African ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, the African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, ADR Practitioner of the Year in Kenya 2021, CIArb (Kenya) Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 and ADR Publisher of the Year 2021 and Author of the Kenya’s First ESG Book: Embracing Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) tenets for Sustainable Development” (Glenwood, Nairobi, July 2023) and Kenya’s First Two Climate Change Law Book: Combating Climate Change for Sustainability (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Achieving Climate Justice for Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, October 2023), Promoting Rule of Law for Sustainable Development (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) and Actualizing the Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024)*

The term gender refers to the set of social norms, practices and institutions that regulate the relations between women and men in a society. It has also been defined as a social construct that ascribes different qualities and rights to women and men regardless of individual competence or desires. Further, the term gender is also used to refer to the socially-constructed expectations about the characteristics, aptitudes and behaviours associated with being a woman or a man, and while gender defines what is feminine and masculine, it shapes the social roles that men and women play and the power relations between them, which can have a profound effect on the use and management of natural resources.

Gender equality entails giving men and women equal treatment when it comes to rights, responsibilities and opportunities. It enshrines equal outcomes for women, men and gender-diverse people. Gender equity on the other hand is about fairness. In order to ensure everyone has equal opportunities, gender equity considers privilege, bias and other parameters that can limit how people access opportunities.

Gender equity is the process to achieve gender equality. It recognizes that due to historical and social disadvantages some people especially women are not in the same position as men and thus treating them ‘equally’ may not be fair hence the need to address these inequalities. It has been observed that men and women relate to the environment in different ways, and environmental changes have different impacts on their lives.

Women play a critical role in sustaining communities and managing natural resources, but their contributions are often undervalued and neglected. For example, women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of freshwater as a natural resource, and they are often responsible for sanitation and maintaining a hygienic home. Women are also more likely than men to live in poverty, and they are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other environmental hazards, especially in developing countries.

Natural disasters such as erosion and other forms of soil degradation, pollution of freshwaters, shore-line erosion, flooding, loss of wetlands, drought and desertification impact directly on women in their roles as providers of food, water and fuel. It has also been observed that climate change can also impact on women’s productive roles since its impacts such as rising sea levels, flooding in low-lying delta areas and increased salt-water intrusion can jeopardize sustainable livelihood strategies. Further, food security and family well-being are threatened when the resource base on which women rely to carry out their critical roles and obtain supplementary incomes is undermined.

Agriculture is the most important employment sector for women in low and middle income countries and therefore, during periods of drought and erratic rainfall, women, as agricultural workers and primary procurers, work harder to secure income and resources for their families. This puts added pressure on girls, who often have to leave school to help their mothers manage the increased burden. Women also bear a disproportional burden of deteriorating water quality and availability in rural and urban areas due to environmental problems such as pollution and drought and have to travel long distances in search of water to sustain households.

Based on the foregoing, it has been argued that women were more worried about climate change than men and that more women than men felt they could do something to curb climate change and were prepared to take action to that effect. Actualizing gender equity and giving women a voice in environmental decision making can therefore foster environmental sustainability. In addition, in the context of corporate governance, it has been observed that women play a more significant role, compared to men, in establishing positive values in terms of social welfare but also toward reducing carbon emissions. Thus, enhancing board gender diversity is vital in enabling firms to ‘go green.’

Gender board diversity is positively related to a firm’s ‘environmental consciousness and foster environmental sustainability initiatives through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. To this extent, it has been argued that women have a lower proclivity for unethical business behavior and are more socially oriented than men, which could mean that more gender diverse boards are less likely to engage in unethical behavior and be more effective in CSR-related decision-making. Actualizing gender equity in board decision making can thus enhance environmental sustainability.

Based on the foregoing, it has been asserted that Gender equity and environmental sustainability are gaining political momentum as global challenges that require urgent co-ordinated action. Women and men around the world are affected differently by climate change, deforestation, land degradation, desertification, unsustainable infrastructure, growing water scarcity and inadequate sanitation, making the goals of gender equality and environmental sustainability mutually reinforcing. Integrating a gender lens to environmental data collection and policy making can thus foster environmental sustainability.

*This is an extract from Kenya’s First Clean and Healthy Environment Book: Actualizing the Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment (Glenwood, Nairobi, January 2024) by Hon. Prof.  Kariuki Muigua, OGW, PhD, Professor of Environmental Law and Dispute Resolution, Senior Advocate of Kenya, Chartered Arbitrator, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021 (Nairobi Legal Awards), ADR Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 (CIArb Kenya), African Arbitrator of the Year 2022, Africa ADR Practitioner of the Year 2022, Member of National Environment Tribunal (NET) Emeritus (2017 to 2023) and Member of Permanent Court of Arbitration nominated by Republic of Kenya and Academic Champion of ADR 2024. Prof. Kariuki Muigua is a foremost Environmental Law and Natural Resources Lawyer and Scholar, Sustainable Development Advocate and Conflict Management Expert in Kenya. Prof. Kariuki Muigua teaches Environmental Law and Dispute resolution at the University of Nairobi School of Law, The Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) and Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies. He has published numerous books and articles on Environmental Law, Environmental Justice Conflict Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Sustainable Development. Prof. Muigua is also a Chartered Arbitrator, an Accredited Mediator, the Managing Partner of Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates and Africa Trustee Emeritus of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 2019-2022. Prof. Muigua is a 2023 recipient of President of the Republic of Kenya Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) Award for his service to the Nation as a Distinguished Expert, Academic and Scholar in Dispute Resolution and recognized among the top 5 leading lawyers and dispute resolution experts in Band 1 in Kenya by the Chambers Global Guide 2024 and was listed in the Inaugural THE LAWYER AFRICA Litigation Hall of Fame 2023 as one of the Top 50 Most Distinguished Litigation Lawyers in Kenya and the Top Arbitrator in Kenya in 2023.

References

‘What Is Gender and Biodiversity?’ Available at https://www.cbd.int/gender/biodiversity/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

African Charter on Human and People’s Rights., Available at https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36390-treaty-0011_- _african_charter_on_human_and _peoples_rights_e.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Crabtree. E., ‘Why we Need Gender Equity, Not Just Equality.’ Available at https://iqeq.com/insights/why-we-need-gender-equity-not-justequality/#:~:text=Gender%20equality%20is%20giving%20all,limit%20 how%20people%20access%20 opportunities. (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

DCED., ‘Gender Equality vs Equity.’ Available at https://www.enterprisedevelopment.org/weegateway/gender-equality-vs-equity/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

De Silva. DG., & Pownall. RA., ‘Going Green: Does it Depend on Education, Gender or Income? ‘ Applied Economics, Volume 46, No. 5. (2014) pp573–586.

Fitzmaurice. M., ‘The Principle of Sustainable Development in International Development Law.’ International Sustainable Development Law., Vol 1.

  1. J. Latham, “A study on gender equality as a prerequisite for sustainable development,” Report to the Environment Advisory Council, Sweden 2007:2, p. 17. Available at http://www.uft.oekologie.unibremen.de/hartmutkoehler_fuer_studierende/MEC/ 09-MECreading/gender%202007%20EAC%20rapport_engelska.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Geneva Environment Network., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/gender-and-theenvironment/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Goodland. R., ‘The Concept of Environmental Sustainability.’ Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, Volume 26 (1995), 1-24.

Hannan. C., ‘Mainstreaming Gender Perspectives in Environmental Management and Mitigation of Natural Disasters.’ Available at https://web.archive.org/web/20180721174301id_/http://www.un.org/ womenwat ch/osagi/pdf/presnat%20disaster.PDF (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

IUCN., ‘Gender and the Environment: What are the Barriers to Gender Equality in Sustainable Ecosystem Management?’ Available at https://www.iucn.org/news/gender/202001/gender-and-environment-what-are-barriers-gender-equality-sustainable-ecosystem-management (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Kariuki. J., & Birner. R., ‘Exploring Gender Equity in Ecological Restoration: The Case of a Market Based Program in Kenya.’ Available at https://er.uwpress.org/content/wper/39/1-2/77.full.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Kassinis. G et al., ‘Gender and Environmental Sustainability: A Longitudinal Analysis.’ Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management (2016).

Morelli. J., ‘Environmental Sustainability: A Definition for Environmental Professionals.’ Journal of Environmental Sustainability, Volume 1, Issue 1 (2011).

Muigua. K., ‘Actualising the National Policy on Gender and Development in Kenya.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Actualising-theNational-Policy-on-Gender-and-Development-in-Kenya-Kariuki-Muigua-Ph.DOctober-2020.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Muigua. K., ‘Gender Perspectives in Biodiversity Conservation.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Gender-Perspectives-inBiodiversity-Conservation-Kariuki-Muigua-November-2021.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Muigua. K., ‘Towards Meaningful Public Participation in Natural Resource Management in Kenya.’ Available at http://kmco.co.ke/wpcontent/uploads/2018/08/TOWARDS-MEANINGFUL-PUBLIC-PARTICIPATIONIN-NATURAL-RESOURCE-MANAGEMENT-IN-KENYA.pdf (Accessed on 12/09/2023).

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/4/f/36360.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa., Available at https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WG/Prot ocolontheRightsofWomen.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development., ‘Our Common Future’ 1987 (Brundtland Report).

Republic of Kenya., ‘Sessional Paper No. 02 of 2019 on National Policy on Gender and Development.’ Available at http://psyg.go.ke/wpcontent/uploads/2019/12/NATIONAL-POLICY-ON-GENDER-ANDDEVELOPMENT.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

Robinson. D., ‘15 Biggest Environmental Problems of 2023.’ Available at https://earth.org/the-biggest-environmental-problems-of-our-lifetime/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Shobeiri. S., & Meiboudi. H., ‘Women’s Participation in Environmental Management and Development Promotion Culture.’ Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311533595_Women’s _participation_in_e nvironmental_management_and_development_Promotion_Culture#:~:text=Women %20are%20the%20main%20cause,environmental%20management%20are%20so%20o bvious. (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

SIDA., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://cdn.sida.se/publications/files/-gender-and-the-environment.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

Sphera., ‘What Is Environmental Sustainability?’ Available at https://sphera.com/glossary/what-is-environmental-sustainability/ (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development., ‘Gender and the Environment.’ Available at https://www.oecd.org/env/gender-and-theenvironment-3d32ca39-en.htm (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

UN Women., ‘Explainer: How Gender Inequality and Climate Change are Interconnected.’ Available at https://www.unwomen.org/en/newsstories/explainer/2022/02/explainer-how-gender-inequality-and-climate-changeare-interconnected?gclid=CjwKCAjw29ymBhAKEiwAHJbJ8p-iWBVsiOQq0h8- HiXaObwP7T1nztSxRGPldFcxcRs-fIzzRIQIgRoCVrIQAvD_BwE (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

UNICEF., ‘Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability.’ Available at https://www.unicef.org/india/what-we-do/climate-change (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs., ‘Forum on Climate Change and Science and Technology Innovation.’ Available at https://www.un.org/en/desa/forum-climate-change-andscience-and-technologyinnovation (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations Environment Programme., ‘About Gender.’ Available at https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/gender/about-gender (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change., ‘New Report: Why Climate Change Impacts Women Differently than Men.’ Available at https://unfccc.int/news/new-report-why-climate-change-impacts-womendifferently-thanmen?gclid=CjwKCAjw29ymBhAKEiwAHJbJ8ssIfst99WBehD0DHNpgs bjqaHye6wO iIPq9xBR4ZYRvsL8yf_KNgxoCskUQAvD_BwE (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

United Nations General Assembly., ‘Report of the United Nations Conference On Environment and Development: Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.’ A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. I), Principle 3.

United Nations, “The Role of Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality,” Women 2000 and Beyond, December 2008, p.4. Available at http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/media/publications/un/en/w 2000menandboyseweb.pdf (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

United Nations., ‘Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972’ Principle 2.

United Nations., ‘Report of the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace.’ AlCONF.116128/Rev.1 48.

United Nations., ‘Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.’ Available at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda %20for%20Sustain able%20Development%20web.pdf (Accessed on 12/08/2023).

United Nations., ‘What is Climate Change?’ Available at https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change (Accessed on 11/08/2023).

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