From November 11th to 22nd, ILO’s International Training Center in Turin organized its biennial Gender Academy, a global learning event that gathers 150 participants from across the globe with a focus on gender equality, development and employment.

A panel discussion on “Environmental transformations: gender issues in mitigation and adaptation strategies” took place on November 13th in the context of the Gender Academy. The objective of the session was to explore the question as to why gender justice matters in the discussion on climate change, and related prevention, mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Rishab Dhir from GED Branch of the ILO provided a brief overview of the international cooperation and negotiation regime on climate change as seen through the “just transitions” lens. In her presentation provided through a pre-recorded video message, Mariama Williams from the South Centre introduced the topic of climate change financing and gender-responsive macro-economic policies. ILO COOP Unit Manager contributed to the panel sharing practical examples of local level solutions from the cooperative movement in the context of mitigation and adaptation strategies.

On November 15th two ILO COOP team members provided an orientation session on cooperatives for the participants to the Gender Academy. Based on the interests of the participants, the session focused on refugee response through cooperatives, women’s economic empowerment through cooperatives and cooperative education for young graduates.