RADIO INTERNACIONAL FEMINISTA

Género en el 3er Congreso Mundial de la Naturaleza de UICN

Bangkok, Thailand, November 18, 2004.

Press release by FIRE/Press Team Women’s Caucus IUCN

A global campaign to "Plant A Tree for Peace" to celebrate Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Prize Laureate, is being launched by the IUCN (World Conservation Union) with WEDO (Women’s Environment and Development Organization) to highlight the connection between the environment, peace and human rights, through the experiences and perspectives of women. The campaign will celebrate the longtime environmental work of Wangari Maathai of Kenya with the Greenbelt Movement, and will also commemorate International Human Rights Day. Campaign organizers are calling on men and women to celebrate by planting or donating a tree for peace, human rights, gender equality and a healthy planet for all.

The Women’s Caucus at the 3rd World Conservation Congress (WCC) taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, November 17-25, 2004, requested IUCN to join in the "Plant a Tree for Peace" Campaign. The WCC has over 6,500 participants registered for the event from more than 1,600 member organizations, including 82 states, 115 government agencies, and 850 NGOs (non-governmental organizations). The IUCN responded enthusiastically to the Caucus campaign proposal and its representatives, along with the Women’s Caucus, will plant the first tree here in Bangkok, Thailand during the Congress.

The fact that the IUCN conference and campaign actions are taking place in Thailand is particularly significant, after Her Majesty the Queen Sirikiti of Thailand received an award at the opening ceremony of the Congress last night for her longtime environmental activism, and in her acceptance speech she also called for peace in her country and the world.

"The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Wangari Maathai recognizes her incredible vision and courage, but also recognizes the important work of women of Africa and the world towards peace, equality, human rights and the environment," declared June Zeitlin, executive director of WEDO, a main organizer of the global campaign.

When Hon. Prof. Wangari Maathai, Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, in Kenya, was first told she will receive the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, she declared, "This is a great day….It is also a wonderful opportunity to help inspire the nations of the world toward the goals of environmental sustainability, human rights, gender equality and peace. On behalf of all African women, I want to express my profound appreciation for this honor, which will serve to encourage women of Kenya, in Africa and around the world to raise their voices and not to be deterred.

According to IUCN Senior Gender Adviser, Lorena Aguilar, "Joining in this campaign is evidence of IUCN’s commitment to promoting gender equity and conservation." In commenting on the central role of gender at the WCC, Zeitlin noted, "I think it’s very important, and puts the IUCN at the forefront in activities related to the environment and sustainable development. The fact that there’s a Women’s Caucus and a balance of women and men in most sessions is a very significant step. And what the Caucus is trying to achieve is to bring women’s experiences and perspectives to inform the important work of this Congress."

For more information about Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement go to www.greenbeltmovement.org. For more information about WEDO go to www.wedo.org Send stories and pictures of participation in the Campaign to: trees4peace@wedo.org.

For more information about the Women´s Caucus at IUCN go to www.fire.or.cr or to www.iucn.org, or write to pressgendercaucus@yahoo.com or the Senior Gender Advisor, Lorena Aguilar at lorena.aguilar@iucn.org.