DAWN cooperated with the Gender Minority Working Group of the Japan Civil Network for the Convention on Biological Diversity (JCN-CBD) in sponsoring two out of three panels at the People’s Forum in Nagoya in October 2010. The cooperation was initiated by Prof. Kinhide Mushakoji and Dr. Seiko Hanochi of the JCN-CBD Gender Minority Working Group. The JCN-CBD was formed in January 2009 as a platform for Japanese civil society when these served as host of the NGO Network of the CBD COP 10.

The presentations carried a strong critique of neo-liberal globalization policies and practices that promote market-based solutions and technological fixes to issues related to loss of biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development. DAWN speakers engaged with Japanese commentators and CSOs in examining how perspectives building on feminist principles and rights-based and sustainable development proposals could provide alternatives to the current path of over-exploitation of natural resources, loss of cultural diversity and commodification of life in general. DAWN’s inter-linkages analyses that provided the lens through which the inter-connection of ecological issues with unsustainable production and consumption, patriarchy, militarization, and unequal power relations between developed and developing countries, were discussed in the context of multilateral responses.

Click the titles to listen to the podcasts:

Introduction to DAWN Panels by Gigi Francisco
On the Road to Economic Recovery: Financing Challenges to Biodiversity by Marina Durano
Gender, Development and Agriculture Reforms in Africa by Zo Randriamaro
Some Questions on the Relationship Between Gender, Militarization, Armed Conflict and Their Effects on Biodiversity by Kumudini Samuel
Sustainability, Human Development and Growth: A Gendered Look by Gita Sen
Beyond Market Mechanisms and Technological Fixes: Building Feminist Principles and Alternatives with Justice Movements by Anita Nayar

NOTE: Excerpts of DAWN presentations at the CBD-COP10 People’s Forum are featured in DAWN Informs December 2010 Issue.