Women Engage for a Common Future, formerly known as Women in Europe for a Common Future, is a non-governmental organisation established in 1994 following the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The aim of the organisation is to achieve an equitable and sustainable healthy environment for all. WECF is a network of more than 150 women's and environmental organisations in 50 countries worldwide. WECF also works on national, European, UN and international political levels with the aim to increase women's influence in political decision-making processes.
Herstory
WECF was officially registered as a foundation in 1994 in the Netherlands as Women in Europe for a Common Future. During the “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1992 women from the European region came together to create the network WECF because they recognized the catalysing role women play in sustainable development as defined in the United Nation’s report “Our Common Future.” WECF's philosophy has always been to ensure that the voices of women and marginalized groups are heard at the policy table and to combine this with local actions in which they realize their priorities. This dual action-advocacy approach has become one of the strongest distinguishing aspects of our network.
Aim & vision
WECF believes that a sustainable future and environment needs holistic solutions reflecting the lives of people on the ground. They implement feminist solutions based on their partners’ visions and needs. They work to achieve transformative gender equality and full realization of women’s human rights in interconnection with climate justice, sustainable energy & chemicals, less toxic waste, safe water & sanitation for all.
Key issues
WECF works on the intersections of gender equality in the following three areas:
Sustainable development - WECF works towards the full realisation of human rights, development justice and the right to a healthy environment for all, regardless of gender, age, race, sexual identity, education, religion, ability or socioeconomic status. They want a sustainable future in which polluters and governments are held accountable and where human rights, health and the environment have priority over trade agreement and other economic interests.
Climate action - WECF mobilizes people towards climate justice and they demonstrate how you can ensure human rights and gender equality when implementing the Paris Agreement. They support local community groups to create sustainable energy funds and cooperatives, while advancing gender equality and women’s leadership. They engage in global climate negotiations with their local partners, sharing replicable best practices and opposing false climate actions such as nuclear and fossil fuels.
Toxic free healthy environment - WECF demands justice for victims of pollution from chemicals, nuclear radiation and other sources, and measures to protect environmental human rights defenders. They promote toxic-free and non-chemical alternatives based on the principles formulated at the Earth Summit in Rio 1992: the polluter pays, reversal of the burden of proof, the precautionary principle and principle 10 to ensure public participation, transparency and access justice.
Approach
From local to the global, WECF takes a three-pronged approach to mobilise for sustainable and equitable change:
Capacity-building - WECF trains, provide expertise, and offer grants to women and gender equality organisations. Thus supporting them in their work for climate justice, an environmentally sustainable future and gender justice.
Policy - WECF advocates to policymakers, from the local to the global-level, to include gender equality and women’s perspectives in policies and implementation plans. They do this by supporting their partners’ participation in decision-making processes, by leading regional and international gender equality movements, and by monitoring policies.
Outreach - WECF campaigns to increase awareness on the importance of gender-just climate and environmental solutions. With their partners they host social media campaigns, e.g. #FeministDemand, and send open letters to decision-makers. They also give small grants to partners and organise public debates, street actions and award-celebrations.
United Nations
and . WECF at the 2012 UN Rio+20 summit on sustainable development More than 50,000 representatives of social movements and civil society organisations took to the streets in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, to demonstrate against unfair and unsustainable economic policies. At the same time, 30,000 participants of the United Nations Rio+20 conference contributed to the document "The Future We Want" which set the path for the Sustainable Development Goals. WECF took a leading role in the 2012 Rio+20 conference, as co-facilitator of the , one of the nine groups of civil society which have a space in the UN policy process, and are allotted speaking time and contribute to the proposed negotiation text. WECF's role was to facilitate the 300 organisations through virtual and face to face meetings, develop joint text proposals for the negotiation text, organise meetings with country negotiators, as well as organising events in which to present the priorities of women's organisations.
Organisation
The organisation was founded by Marie Kranendonk in 1994. Now WECF has five WECF has a dual governance system. The formal supervision of the executive directors and their team is done by the Board of Trustees. Their role is to approve the annual plans, budgets and reports, and supervise the work of WECF's directors. WECF's partners also have a say in their governance, through the International Advisory Board. The IAB's role is to give strategic advice to WECF's BOT and directors. The IAB is also crucial for the development of common funding, advocacy and campaigning strategies.1
