Making the Global NDC Conference 2023 gender-sensitive and inclusive

Graphic recording Global NDC Conference 2019

Implementing a gender-responsive approach that considers diversity, in knowledge exchange and policy making is essential to counter the gender bias of our societal structures and ensure the broad variety of voices are heard and included. In the context of the Global NDC Conference 2023, we aim to achieve gender justice by implementing a Gender-Responsive Event Management (GREM) approach based on the guidelines of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

The measures we are implementing aim not only for numerical gender parity, but also enhanced awareness by all participants and an inclusive environment in which everyone feels comfortable to speak up, share thoughts and voice opinions, regardless of position, gender, origin, and other social categories. We are aware of the need to address intersectionality, meaning the discrimination of a person due to overlapping and simultaneous impacts, and consider this throughout our conference.

The organising team implements various actions to ensure a GREM approach is pursued and integrated into all phases of the Global NDC Conference. This includes:

  • Integrating gender issues and perspectives from Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLC), Youth, and other diverse actor groups into the conference agenda by mainstreaming gender and diversity across all sessions and program points. Session organisers have been briefed on the importance of this, received practical tips from gender experts, and had the opportunity to share knowledge with each other.
  • Carefully selecting speakers for our panels, contributors for our breakout sessions and innovation hubs, as well as ensuring an overall balance based on multiple criteria including gender and geographical diversity. Our statistics contain sex-disaggregated data and regional representation, ensuring our data gives meaningful information. This information is considered when making choices, leading to a balance regarding gender and diversity.
  • Empowering women and marginalised groups by giving them leading roles in various events and encouraging them to bring in their perspective by choosing formats that provide the possibility and space for all to contribute and voice their opinions and ideas.
  • Implementing a Code of Conduct that clearly states no form of discrimination nor harassment will be tolerated. All participants and organisers are expected to comply with the Code of Conduct to ensure that the conference provides an inclusive and safe space. An awareness team at the conference will support anyone experiencing any type of violation, and conference organisers hold the right to take appropriate action.
  • Ensuring the use of gender-sensitive language and inclusive formulations across all communication materials and at the conference. This helps guarantee that all people are treated with equal value, challenges unconscious assumptions that may prevail in society, and makes participants feel more comfortable within the conference setting. Participants will have the voluntary option to display their self-defined gender pronouns (e.g., them/they, she/her, he/him) on their conference badges to feel respected and comfortable in the way they are being addressed.

The progress on these and various other cross-cutting measures are monitored by the organising team with a Gender and Diversity Action Plan. Implementing a GREM approach through concrete actions is vital to ensuring that the conference recognises unequal roles and relations, actively combats them, and considers a broad variety of voices in an inclusive manner.

If you have any suggestions or questions regarding our gender and diversity measures, please feel free to get in touch with us at info[at]globalndcconference.org.  

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