Vatican Faces Criticism at COP29 Over Stalled Women's Rights Discussions

The Vatican has added to the complexity of negotiations at the UN COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan by blocking essential discussions about women’s rights, primarily driven by contentions surrounding LGBTQ+ issues. Reports confirm that Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, has aligned with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Egypt to prevent the advancement of a pivotal agreement aimed at providing increased support, including financial resources, to women disproportionately impacted by climate change.Colombia's environment minister, Susana Muhamad, asserted that the ongoing stalemate threatens a decade of progressive momentum aimed at addressing the challenges women face in the climate crisis, as they currently represent 80% of those displaced by environmental changes according to UN estimates. Charities, including ActionAid, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the disastrous ramifications if negotiations derail at this critical juncture.Previously, parties had sought to amend the Lima Work Programme on Gender — a decade-old UN action plan — to ensure that climate-responsiveness accounts for women's experiences. However, concerns from the Vatican and its allies regarding the implications of using the term “gender” have impeded these discussions. They contend that this terminology could encompass transgender identities, leading to clash points with negotiators from more progressive nations and charitable organizations who've long advocated for gender-sensitive climate actions.Interestingly, this unprecedented pushback comes despite a historical consensus regarding women's heightened vulnerability to climate-related disasters due to caretaking responsibilities and restricted access to reproductive healthcare during climate emergencies. According to UN Women, the figures suggest that climate change could render approximately 240 million more women and girls food insecure by 2050, a stark contrast to the projected 131 million additional men and boys facing similar challenges.Calls for recognizing variations in women's experiences regarding climate change, dependent on their "gender, sex, age, and race," have been met with resistance from opposing parties, frustrated observers note. Sostina Takure from ACT Alliance articulated shock at the Vatican's newfound opposition to what has been a standard part of negotiations for over a decade.Furthermore, representatives from the adversary countries claim that recognition of LGBTQ+ rights is incompatible with their legal frameworks, contributing to their resolute stance against explicit recognition of gay women within the text. As uncertainty surrounds the fate of women's rights negotiations at COP29, Zahra Hdidou from ActionAid expressed skepticism about achieving substantial progress as discussions falter. The current UN gender programme is set to expire at the year’s end, calling for immediate action.The impetus behind the Vatican and its allies’ interventions appears linked to a more extensive global backlash against women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, according to informed negotiators. While Pope Francis has exhibited a degree of leniency towards LGBTQ+ norms, the Vatican remains firmly committed to traditional moral doctrine, as seen in recent proclamations against gender binaries and same-sex unions.At the moment, the representation of women in negotiating rooms is limited, with only 36% of delegates being female, as reported at last year’s conference. Advocates continue to stress that without inclusive voices in climate discussions, the outcomes may perpetuate existing inequities in climate response, ultimately fostering an environment where women's perspectives are silenced.In light of these developments, an EU-led letter, now supported by 17 countries, emphasizes a commitment to addressing the climate crisis by empowering women and girls in all their diversity, further underscoring the critical need for inclusive and equitable frameworks in climate negotiations. As COP29 progresses, the fate of women's rights in climate discourse hangs in the balance, with advocates rallying for urgent collaborative action to redirect the course of discussions toward inclusive strategies that account for the lived experiences of women globally.