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Annex

Monday 21 – Thursday 24 October 2024 I WP3385

Vatican picture of Pope

Global Multi-Faith Women-Led Climate Action[1]

An expression of who we are at our birth 

We are a network of women of faith and their allies, committed to radical collaboration for climate justice.

The climate and nature crisis represents a transformative chapter for all of humanity that is already being written. So far, the story is bleak. The formation of our network is a response to the urgency of now. We birth this network with the belief that a better ending to this chapter is not only possible but within our reach.

We already see transformation happening where women of faith are leading. We know our leadership is critical in securing a sustainable and just future—because it’s already making a difference! United with other women-led campaigns across the world, we believe we can harness the power of billions of women to ignite global momentum for profound, lasting change.

We are not just a list of names on a shared spreadsheet; we want our connectedness to be grounded in a dedication to caring for one another within this multi-faith, global community. Therefore, we commit to looking out for each other, building relationships, standing in solidarity with each other’s struggles, sharing stories, listening, and learning together – knowing that we will be stronger united in our mission than we will ever be apart. 

We will lay aside any organisational, institutional, or individual competition. Instead, we will embrace solidarity, mutual support, and the understanding that success is collective and only possible when we uplift one another.

We recognise the deep, underlying causes of the climate crisis and other intersecting injustices, not just the terrible symptoms. While we must move swiftly and decisively, as the science demands, we seek to do so in a way that leaves no one behind.

We will work together in the active decolonisation of climate action and reject so-called solutions that replace one form of extractivism with another. We will commit to addressing not only environmental harm but also the underlying power structures that perpetuate inequality, violence, exploitation, and oppression.

We have a unique opportunity in a precious window of time to take meaningful joint action to help prevent the most extreme impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. Together with the faith groups, institutions, movements, and organisations we represent, we want to transform societies, shape policies, and mobilise communities for the urgent action needed to address the climate and nature crises.

We will take an intersectional approach, centring voices too often still excluded or ignored in climate decision-making and action, particularly those of women, people from the Global South, local people, Indigenous Peoples, and youth. As women of faith and their allies, standing at the crossroads of spirituality and social responsibility, we will hold climate decision-makers accountable, while also supporting them to accelerate climate action—and cheering them on when they get it right.

We will replicate this way of being in our own institutions, communities, and countries.

We will work together to grow our network of friendship locally, nationally, and globally.

This collaboration is born out of a desire to build trust between us. We won’t get everything right and we won’t have all the answers. This is, and will continue to be, messy and imperfect. Yet, this commitment is an expression, in this moment, of our willingness to do all we can together anyway.

Finally, this written expression is just the beginning. As we grow together on our journey as a network, our collaboration will evolve, deepening and developing with every step we take.


[1] This document reflects the language and revisions proposed by participants. Because of time limitations, it was agreed that  the document would remain a “ working draft” and serve as guidance to the newly established Working Groups.

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