Sustainable Development: Women's Challenges

At a recent talk hosted by the Aspen Institute entitled "The Road to Rio: Climate Change, Population and Sustainability", the life of this woman, and the lives of all women in developing countries, were the topic of discussion. Panelists included SDN Vice President Rachel Kyte, former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, President of the Worldwatch Institute, Robert Engelman, and the Director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s Western Hemisphere Region, Carmen Barroso.

As Kyte explained at the event, “at the World Bank we strive to keep the client at the center of the table. Working in sustainable development has taught me to put nature in the center of table. This woman in Arusha should be there as well.”

At the talk, panelists discussed ways to highlight the importance of the little discussed topic of population, women, family planning and reproductive rights in the context of climate change at the Rio+20 conference in June 2012. Kyte described a number of outcomes in Rio that would mean success for “understanding the centrality of women to sustainable development,” including the achievement of sustainable energy for all by 2030.

To learn other points Kyte, and other participants made during the discussion, view the video from the event

Participants in the session were:

Mary Robinson is President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, Rachel Kyte is Vice President of Sustainable Development at the World Bank, Robert Engelman is president of the Worldwatch Institute, Dr. Carmen Barroso has served as the Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR), Peggy Clark is the Vice President of Policy Programs and the Executive Director of Aspen Global Health and Development