Feminist Task Force, Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), Niger Delta Women\'s Movement for Peace & Development, Humanitarian Organization for Poverty Eradication and Environment (HOPE-Pk), Jagaran Nepal, Bordadeiras da Coroa/ Articulacao de Mulheres Brasileiras and Vera Neri, Instituto Baobab, SINTRASEF, Instituto Equit - Gênero, Economia, Cidadania Global, SIGLO XXIII Culture of Peace Movement-El Salvador, Loretto at the UN, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Eco-Justice Collaborative, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, GCAP Mexico

Whether it be unsustainable urbanization, contamination and pollution, deforestation, lack of water and sanitation, poverty and climate change, women bear the brunt of ecological and environmental degradation. As the majority of the world?s farmers, caretakers and impoverished, women will be impacted at a disproportionate rate by global environmental threats. Despite these alarming realities, women voices, and in particular rural and indigenous women, grassroots and impoverished urban women, are not being heard in the corridors of decision-making venues. Furthermore, women?s needs are not being fully addressed in the climate change and sustainability debates at all levels. The proposed session will show how women have elevated their voices in the climate justice debate, featuring the methodology of the women\'s tribunal on gender and climate justice. Panelists will compare and contrast outcomes and policy recommendations of the tribunals. The session will feature short video presentations of rural and grassroots women providing testimony. The presentation of women\'s testimony and experiences will be even more impactful coming from on-the-ground women organizers.

Whether it be global warming, contamination and pollution, erosion or deforestation, lack of water and sanitation due to desertification or creeping urbanization, women bear the brunt of ecological and environmental degradation. As the majority of the world?s farmers, caretakers and impoverished, women will be impacted at a disproportionate rate global environmental threats. Despite these alarming realities, women voices, and in particular rural and indigenous women, grassroots and impoverished urban women, are not being heard in the corridors of decision-making venues. Furthermore, women?s needs are not being fully addressed in the climate change debates at the local, national, regional or international level.

In the fall of last year, leading up to the Durban COP17 meeting, fifteen women?s tribunals (public hearings) on gender justice were organized in Africa, Asia and Latin America to raise the voices of rural and grassroots women otherwise counted out of the climate change debate. The tribunals were an unprecedented approach to amplify the voices of women and counter the invisibility of women at the rural, impoverished or grassroots level. Organized at the local and community level, the tribunals highlight the concerns of women, their families and communities around a specific or interconnected issue, for example, gender, poverty and climate justice. Working with an international coalition towards an international conference, local women?s groups have leveraged wider global attention to their issue, creating synergy with other women?s organizations, such as the Women?s Major Group, and international organizaitons, such as Greenpeace International and Inter Press Service.

Following the successes of various tribunals on gender and inter-related subthemes, climate justice, poverty eradication, economic injustice and inequality, social exclusion, rural women, health and human security, including the fifteen tribunals in 2011, the 2009 seven tribunals ?7 Countries, 3 Continents, 1 Call,? the Feminist Task Force and partners are organizing a new series of women ?s tribunals on gender and climate justice in the global north, specifically the poverty stricken area of the Appalachian Mountains of the United States which are being destroyed due to mountain top removal for mining in the region. The US series tribunal are planned for areas designated by the US government as being ?persistent impoverished? communities. The focus is on economic, environmental and social dimensions of environmental and economic degradation in a community. The proposal for a side event is to present the finding of the seventeen tribunals on gender and climate justice to inject momentum into renewing political commitment to women at the Rio+20 process. The main themes of the side event will be on:

? Health Impacts on Women, Their Families and Their Communities
? Poverty, Economic Injustice and Lack of Economic Vitality
? Destruction of Communities and Social Disintegration
? Damages to Air, Land and Water

Whether it be the post-2015 development agenda, climate change, gender-based violence or issues of importance to rural, grassroots or indigenous communities, organizing around peoples? tribunals or public hearings can amplify the voices and issues of these communities and penetrate the global platforms usually confined to priviledged INGOs or civil society mega-stars. The tribunals also collect testimonials and experiences which can be collected as primary sources of information from on-the-ground ?witnesses.? This documentation can be submitted in official processes which bring legitimacy and attention to grassroot issues.

Panelists will present case studies and best practices, as well as compare and contrast outcomes and policy recommendations of the tribunals. The session will feature short video presentations of actual rural and grassroots women providing testimony and contain raw footage of women in action. The outcomes and policy recommendations have already been used to advocate and influence the Zero Draft document. The presentation of women\'s testimony and experiences will be even more impactful coming from on-the-ground women organizers.