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Think equal, build smart,

        innovate fo change




        COMMEMORATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, 8 MARCH 2019


        Gender equality is critical for protecting and improving our Pacific environment. For the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional
        Environment Programme (SPREP), gender and human rights is a crucial pillar for resilient and sustainable communities and has
        been recognised in the 2017–2026 Strategic Plan as well as the SPREP Gender policy.
        At SPREP over half of the staff employed are women, with nine of our Senior Management Team members comprising five women.
        This year we call upon all to think equal, build smart and innovate for change for gender equality and a resilient Pacific environment.
           ƒ Climate change, natural disasters and environmental degradation impact the livelihoods and well-being of Pacific peoples. In the
          Asia Pacific region, women and girls account for 80% of all those living under USD 2 per day, and are often on the frontlines of the
          fight against climate change. 1
           ƒ Just under half of the world’s population depends on agriculture, forestry, fishing or hunting for their livelihoods. Women make up
          43% of the total agricultural labour force in developing countries, they produce a large portion of the world’s food crops.
                                                                                                      2
           ƒ Increase in yields on women’s farms  by 20–30% could raise total agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5–4% which in
          turn would reduce the number of hungry people in the world by 12–17%.
                                                                  3
        By uplifting women and girls, and creating gender-balance within our societies – we are uplifting whole communities, particularly
        those who are most vulnerable to climate change and environmental issues.


                                          We celebrate you for a better world to
                            t  ink equal, build smart and innovate fo   change!












































                                         PO Box 240  •  Apia, Samoa  •  +685 21929  •  sprep@sprep.org  •  www.sprep.org


   1  UN Environment. Gender and Climate Change. Accessed at 6 March 2019: http://asiapacific.  2   FAO. Statistical Yearbook of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United   3  FAO. 2011. The State of Food and Agriculture.
     unwomen.org/en/focus-areas/women-poverty-economics/gender-and-climate-change.  Nations. Accessed at 6 March 2019: http://www.fao.org/3/i3107e/i3107e01.pdf.
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