The article begins by shedding light on World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, a day of global significance that is observed annually on 17th June. This event underscores the importance of land rights for women, deemed instrumental for achieving gender equality and mitigating land degradation by the year 2030. This contributes to the progression of several other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought: An Overview
Initially identified as one of the biggest hurdles to sustainable development at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, desertification, along with climate change and loss of biodiversity, has been a topic of global concern. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly established the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – a binding international agreement that bridges environment and development to sustainable land management. June 17th was officially declared as the ‘World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought’. By 2007, 2010-2020 was declared as the UN Decade for Deserts and the fight against Desertification to encourage global action against land degradation under the guidance of the UNCCD Secretariat.
Addressing Women’s Land Rights Issues
Despite being crucial to human well-being and prosperity, women’s control over land still faces worldwide barriers, particularly when land degradation and water scarcity come into play. This situation adversely impacts women and girls as they often lack access to and control of land resources. The repercussions are mostly felt in instances of reduced agricultural yields and increased water scarcity.
Gender Equality: Unfinished Business
According to a study by the UNCCD, gender equality continues to be an unresolved issue globally. Discriminatory laws and practices hinder women’s right to inherit along with their access to services and resources. Despite women making up almost half of the global agricultural workforce, less than a fifth of worldwide landholders are women.
Initiatives Taken for Gender Equality
Together with partners and high-profile personalities, the UNCCD has launched a global campaign honouring outstanding women-led initiatives in sustainable land management. To end discrimination and secure women’s rights to land and resources, governments can promote laws, policies and practices.
UNCCD’s Gender Action Plan, 2017
Adopted at COP23 in Bonn, Germany, the Gender Action Plan aims to incorporate gender equality and women’s empowerment in climate change discourse and actions. The intention is that women should equally contribute to climate change decisions and be represented equally in all aspects of the UNFCCC to increase its efficacy.
Understanding Desertification and Drought
Desertification refers to the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas, primarily caused by human activities and climatic variations. On the other hand, drought is considered as a deficiency in rainfall over an extended period, leading to a water shortage causing adverse impacts on vegetation, animals, and people.
Efforts to Reduce Desertification
Various national and global initiatives have aimed to combat desertification. The Integrated Watershed Management Programme and the Desert Development Programme are among India’s efforts towards restoring ecological balance and rejuvenating the natural resource base of identified desert areas.
Globally, the Bonn Challenge aims to restore 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030. India has also joined this challenge, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030.