Women as the Voice for the Environment (WAVE), is the first women's environment assembly organized by WEDO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

More than 140 women environmentalists from 60 countries met in Nairobi from October 11-13, 2004, to express their concerns about the global environment. Seven environment ministers and other high-level representatives and gender activists, addressed the challenges women face accessing and controlling natural resources, as well as guaranteeing sustainable development and livelihoods.

Among the headline speakers was Professor Wangari Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. As one of WEDO's co-founders, her message focused the need for women's leadership in the world. A lifelong campaigner for democracy, environmental protection and women's rights, Professor Maathai spoke about the relationship between women, the environment and world peace.

Working sessions at WAVE covered a wide range of gender-related topics such as: environment and health; indigenous and local women's perspectives on sustainable livelihoods; global climate change; urban challenges; gender and environment at Beijing + 10 and in the MDGs; local-global linkages; capacity building; and peace and conflict. The issue of women and children as being the first victims of poverty, environmental degradation and conflict was also discussed.  Examples of Africa (Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo), Eastern Europe (Ukraine) and South America (Bolivia and Colombia) illustrated this problem. 

The principal outcome of WAVE was a Manifesto which highlights the crucial roles women play in conservation and sustainable development, and presents concrete policy recommendations and a portfolio of specific project ideas.

WAVE ran in parallel with a meeting of the Network of Women Ministers for the Environment under the slogan "Women in Charge of the Environment." It was hosted by Lena Sommestad, Sweden's Minister of Environment, and Rejoice Madubafhasi, South Africa's Deputy Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

WAVE is expected to have significance at key UN instances. The UN General Assembly's forthcoming review of the Fourth World Conference on Women, which was held in Beijing in 1995 (Beijing +10), the five-year review of the Millennium Development Goals, the thirteenth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 13) and UNEP's 23rd Governing Council, are crucial scenarios where WAVE's recommendations can be promoted and implemented.

For information on the first Global Women's Assembly on the Environment, see www.unep.org/dpdl/cso/wave

For More info at WEDO, please contact Jessica Valenti at jessica@wedo.org.

For more information at UNEP, please contact: Eric Falt, UNEP Spokesperson and Director of the Division of Communications and Public Information: E-mail: eric.falt@unep.org, or Nick Nuttall, UNEP Head of Media, E-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org