Side Event at Rio+20 // 4th Helena Z. Benitez Global Forum on Gender Justice and the Green Economy, Focusing on Water, Energy and Food

Main Organizer of the Conference is Philippine Women's University and the Helena Z. Benitez Global Forum in coordination with / co-organized with the Philippine Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and in coordination with the Women's Major Group of Rio +20. Secondary Organizers are Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika (Philippine Women's Network in Politics and Governance (WSSD accredited); Asian Women's Network on Gender and Development, Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (ECOSOC) , and Asian Indigenous Women's Network (AIWN). APPROTECH ASIA (WSSD).

Detailed programme

The event aims to present fully gender and development issues which are vigorously embedded within the framework of fundamental human rights and gender justice in the Asia-Pacific region and in many parts of the world. It hopes to elevate further the discussions on the theme of green economy and gender equality, justice and human rights with special focus on water, energy, and food nexus , to a broader and more significant audience , during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 , in Rio de Jainero Brazil, June 2012. The side event aspires to meaningfully contribute to to the UN conference official delegates , both government and civil society's critical discussions on gender equality, the green economy, focusing on food, water and energy nexus in advancing sustainable development. It aims to significantly influence the Outcome Document of the UN Rio +20 conference on gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's full access to justice. The side event seeks to contribute to the discussions on universally agreed international human rights norms and standards, as well as accountability mechanisms, in the gender dimensions of sustainable development goals. Invited to the side events are seven Speakers familiar with both national and global experiences on the topic namely: -Dr. Amelou Benitez-Reyes -Ambassador Rosario G. Manalo, Philippine Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) -Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Eva G. Betita -former Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Hilario Davide -one expert on gender equality and women's rights from Food and Agriculture Organization FAO and -two experts on the gender and the green economy focusing on water, energy and food from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and from ENERGIA.