After an hour-long of discussions on how women too should take part in protecting the environment during the Commonwealth Women’s Forum in Kigali on Tuesday, June 21, the conversation took a turn when delegates pointed out that corporations responsible for the damage should be held accountable. This was during a session with the theme: “Gender and climate change: Interactions and opportunity for progress,” at Serena Hotel Kigali. Olive Uwamariya, who is part of the feminist forum from Rwanda, took the lead and asked why during important discussions, big known corporate companies whose contribution to the damage of the environment is larger, is ignored. “Today we talk about 100 multinational companies that are responsible for more than 70 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Why is not the private sector involved in this conversation and yet we know they have a big role to play? “As we talk about personal and collective responsibility, how do we ensure that they are held accountable?” Uwamariya asked. Indeed, only 100 companies have been the source of more than 70 percent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions since 1988, and it would be futile to not hold them accountable should a green world be achieved, or at least the risk at which climate change affects us reduced. “We come to meetings like this one, recommendations are made and one of the pledges is to hold the culprits responsible. What is it that we are doing as the Commonwealth to ensure that the culprits pay the price?” Brighton Vita, Bishop of Anglican Church in Malawi asked. Martha Nakenge from Uganda also emphasised that activists need to call upon wealthy countries to honour their commitment to mobilise US$100 billion a year to help poorer countries deal with climate change. Other discussions held during the Women’s Forum are investing more in educating the girl child, but not forgetting the boy child too. Discussions on how to reduce the impact climate change has on women were also had. More than 500 delegates are in Kigali at the Commonwealth Women’s Forum to discuss solutions to address pressing challenges affecting women and girls across the Commonwealth, and to ensure member countries have robust policies and programmes to meet gender equality targets by 2030. The Forum, which is happening in Africa for the very first time, has a theme: Delivering a Common Future: Transforming Gender Equality. Besides the Women’s Forum, several other clusters have been lined up including the Heads of Government Meeting (the main event), the Youth’s Forum which started on Sunday, June 19, People’s Forum, and Business Forum that are both starting today. Different social and networking events are also planned from today for more than 5,000 delegates from across the Commonwealth.
