Women Engage for a Common Future

Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), originally established as Women in Europe for a Common Future, is an international non-governmental organization and network focused on the connections between gender equality, environmental protection, public health and sustainable development. The organization was formed in the Netherlands in 1994, following the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where women from Europe created a cooperative network to ensure that environmental and sustainability policy reflected women’s experiences and participation. Its stated objective is to help achieve an equitable, sustainable and healthy environment for everyone. WECF operates as a network rather than as a conventional commercial brand. It brings together more than 150 women’s, environmental and civil-society organizations in approximately 50 countries, and maintains offices in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland and Georgia. The network works at local, national, European, United Nations and other international policy levels. Its activities combine capacity building, grants, technical expertise, public outreach and policy advocacy. Through these methods, WECF supports grassroots organizations and helps them participate in environmental, climate and gender-policy decisions. The organization’s work covers sustainable development, climate action, gender equality, environmental health, safe water and sanitation, energy access, toxic chemicals and waste, inclusive forest governance, menstruation and women’s rights within the 2030 Agenda. A recurring principle is that environmental and climate solutions should be gender-just: women should have meaningful influence over decisions, and policies should account for the different environmental and health burdens experienced by women and marginalized communities. WECF has played a role in several major multilateral processes. It was a founding member of the Women’s Major Group, a civil-society mechanism established around the 1992 Earth Summit and subsequently involved in United Nations sustainable-development processes. It also helped establish the Women and Gender Constituency under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2009. Through that constituency, WECF and partner organizations develop shared positions, bring grassroots women’s groups into climate negotiations and advocate for women’s rights in climate policy. The organization contributed to the 2012 Rio+20 sustainable-development process and has participated in later Beijing+25 and Generation Equality activities. The name changed in 2016 from Women in Europe for a Common Future to Women Engage for a Common Future. The change reflected the network’s broader international scope while retaining the WECF abbreviation and its emphasis on women’s engagement in environmental and sustainability decision-making. The organization has observer status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is described as an official partner of the United Nations Environment Programme. Its governance combines a Board of Trustees, which supervises plans, budgets and reporting, with an International Advisory Board that provides strategic advice representing partner perspectives.

Women Engage for a Common Future was created in the aftermath of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Women from the European region formed a network to link environmental sustainability with women’s rights and political participation. The initiative was formally registered as a foundation in the Netherlands in 1994 under the name Women in Europe for a Common Future, with Marie Kranendonk identified as its founder. One of the organization’s earliest major international activities was its participation in the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. WECF organized a delegation to the associated civil-society forum and used the event to highlight the relationship between gender and environmental policy. The organization subsequently developed from a European initiative into a broader international network of women’s and environmental organizations. WECF was among the founding members of the Women’s Major Group, a civil-society structure associated with United Nations sustainable-development processes. The group emerged from the recognition at the 1992 Earth Summit that women constitute one of the principal stakeholder groups in sustainable development. WECF has used this platform to coordinate organizational positions, support participation by grassroots groups and advocate for women’s priorities in international negotiations. In 2009, WECF was also a founding member of the Women and Gender Constituency under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The constituency provides a coordinated voice for women’s and environmental organizations in climate-policy discussions. WECF has participated in UNFCCC meetings, worked with governments and observers, and supported the inclusion of women’s rights and gender equality in climate decisions. The 2012 Rio+20 conference represented another important stage in WECF’s international policy work. As a co-facilitator of the Women’s Major Group, the organization helped coordinate hundreds of civil-society organizations through virtual and in-person meetings, prepared proposals for negotiation texts, met with country negotiators and organized events presenting women’s priorities. This work contributed to the wider sustainable-development discussion that later led to the Sustainable Development Goals. The organization changed its official name in 2016 to Women Engage for a Common Future. The new name reflected the network’s presence beyond Europe while preserving the WECF abbreviation. Its continuing program combines capacity building, grants, advocacy and outreach. Thematic work includes climate justice, sustainable energy, safe water and sanitation, toxic chemicals and waste, inclusive forest governance, menstruation, international solidarity and women’s rights in the 2030 Agenda. WECF maintains a multi-level governance structure. Its Board of Trustees formally supervises executive directors and their teams, approves annual plans and budgets, and reviews reports. An International Advisory Board gives strategic advice and provides a channel for partner organizations to contribute to governance. WECF has offices in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland and Georgia, and operates through a network extending across Europe and other regions. It holds observer status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is described as an official partner of the United Nations Environment Programme.

• 2021

  Generation Equality engagement

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  WECF participated in civil-society advisory work connected with the Generation Equality Forums.

• 2016

  Name changed to Women Engage for a Common Future

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  The organization adopted its current name to reflect its international scope.

• 2012

  Role at Rio+20

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  WECF co-facilitated the Women’s Major Group during the Rio+20 sustainable-development conference.

• 2009

  Women and Gender Constituency founded

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  WECF became a founding member of the Women and Gender Constituency within the UNFCCC process.

• 1995

  Participation in the Beijing women’s conference process

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  WECF sent a delegation to the civil-society forum associated with the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

• 1994

  Foundation registered in the Netherlands

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was formally registered in the Netherlands as Women in Europe for a Common Future, with Marie Kranendonk identified as founder.

• 1992

  Network formed at the Rio Earth Summit

  [1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  Women from Europe formed the network during the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, linking women’s participation with environmental and sustainable-development policy.

A women-led international civil-society network connecting gender equality with environmental health, climate justice and sustainable development, with particular emphasis on grassroots participation and policy influence.

• Advocacy

  Policy advocacy and coalition participation

  WECF represents and coordinates women’s and environmental organizations in national, European, United Nations and climate-policy processes. It develops shared positions, engages policymakers and supports the participation of grassroots groups in formal decision-making.

• Nonprofit support

  Capacity building and grants

  The network provides training, expertise and grants to partner organizations working on women’s rights, gender equality, environmental health and sustainable development. This support is intended to strengthen local organizations and their ability to influence policy.

• Environmental programs

  Climate and environmental health programs

  WECF’s thematic work addresses climate justice, sustainable energy, safe water and sanitation, toxic chemicals and waste, inclusive forest governance, menstruation and other issues where environmental conditions and gender inequality intersect.

• 2012Rio+20 Women’s Major Group coordination

  International

  WECF co-facilitated civil-society coordination for the Rio+20 conference through meetings, negotiation-text proposals and engagement with government representatives.

  Outcome. The work helped articulate women’s priorities in the sustainable-development process that preceded the Sustainable Development Goals.

  Source
• 2009Women and Gender Constituency

  International

  WECF helped found the Women and Gender Constituency, which brings women’s and environmental organizations together in the UNFCCC process.

  Outcome. The constituency provides coordinated civil-society input to climate negotiations and promotes gender-responsive climate policy.

  Source
• 1992Women’s Major Group

  International

  WECF helped establish the Women’s Major Group, a civil-society mechanism through which women’s organizations contribute to United Nations sustainable-development processes.

  Outcome. The group became a continuing channel for coordinating women’s civil-society positions and participation in UN sustainability discussions.

  Source

• 2016

  Adoption of the Women Engage for a Common Future nameStrategy

  Background

  The former name emphasized Europe, while the network’s activities and membership had become increasingly international.

  Action taken

  The organization changed its name from Women in Europe for a Common Future to Women Engage for a Common Future while retaining the WECF abbreviation.

  Aftermath

  The current name better reflects the organization’s international scope and continued focus on women’s engagement in environmental and sustainability policy.

  Source

• 2021

  WECF contributes to Generation Equality civil-society processes[1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Executive Director Sascha Gabizon served on a Civil Society Advisory Group connected with the Generation Equality Forums convened by UN Women.

• 2016

  WECF changes its name from Women in Europe for a Common Future[1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The organization adopted the name Women Engage for a Common Future to reflect its wider international network and activities.

• 2012

  WECF participates in the Rio+20 sustainable-development process[1]Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WECF co-facilitated the Women’s Major Group and helped coordinate civil-society input, proposals and meetings around the United Nations Rio+20 conference.

1. 1Women Engage for a Common Futureen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WECF official websitewecf.org