I'm there

Just received from the Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance:

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Greetings from the Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UN-ISDR)!

Hey.

We are pleased to invite you to the Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance which will be held on October 19-22, 2008 at the Dusit Hotel, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The theme of the congress is “Gender and Climate Change”.

It's, it's like a dream come true!

Women and environment experts have raised concern over the absence of women in the discourse and debate on climate change, a global mainstream issue that is currently impacting the entire world.

Funny, I said that very thing to the little woman the other day. "Maude," I said (even though her name is Susan), "I'm concerned over the absence of women in the discourse and debate on climate change, a global mainstream issue that is currently impacting the entire world. Get me a beer."

The involvement of women in areas of environmental management and governance should not be perceived as an afterthought. Women's roles are of considerable importance in the promotion of environmental ethics. The current imperative is for women to understand the phenomenon of climate change and its impacts and implications at the individual, household, community and national levels. Studies show that women have a definite information deficit on climate politics and climate protection.

A definite information deficit. Guess you can say that if: a) you're a woman; and b) you base it on "studies."

Invited to this congress are women parliamentarians, women in decision - making and governance, environment organizations, youth Leaders and Media Practitioners.

Media Practitioners. That must be why I got the e-mail (I'm a self-described blogger). But youth Leader? Is that different from Youth leader? Or, for that matter, Youth Leader?

The Congress will have the following objectives:

Who cares! Money graf (literally):

The registration fee for the four day congress is One thousand five hundred fifty US Dollars (US$ 1,550.) per person for twin room sharing accommodations (two persons in one room) and one thousand nine hundred fifty US Dollars (US$ 1,950.) per person for single room accommodations (one person in one room).

Part of that price (one person in one room, please) goes toward buying carbon credits or otherwise reducing the carbon hoofprint of the event, right? Wonder how come they don't mention it. Well, maybe they're just turning the air conditioning down and recycling and using both sides of every piece of paper like the DNC is supposedly doing as the prototype of conventions in the 21st Century. But they don't mention that either.

Participants will be billeted [billeted?] in the Dusit Hotel, the venue of the congress and hotels near the Dusit Hotel, accessible within walking distance. Room accommodations in the Dusit Hotel, the venue of the Congress will be on a first come - first served basis.

We hope that your organization can send participants to the Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance. The Theme of “Gender and Climate Change” is the first time this will be discussed in a forum whose objective is to formulate gender responsive legislation and policies for national governments and parliaments. . . .

We truly hope that the environment organizations will find this forum a good opportunity to advocate gender and climate change policies and programs through gender responsive legislation to the women parliamentarians, decision makers, the youth leaders [aha!], media and the funding agencies/organizations. Let us join hands in promoting gender responsive governance through transformative leadership and citizenship. We are looking forward to your participation.

Jung-sook KIM (Ed.D.)
President
Center for Asia Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP)

Don't forget, that's CAPWIP!

One quote which must be included, from the women's climate change page already linked:

There is a need to be strident to overcome the uninformed view of many involved in climate change that climate change is neutral, and real life examples are needed to make the alternative case clear and convincing.