In cooperation with the Geneva office of UN Women and with the participation of the heads of UN Geneva-based agencies, the clip announces a series of video-interviews with female activists engaged in climate action, mitigation and response which will be posted on UN Geneva’s social media platforms throughout the week.

1. Prof Lu Zhi (China) : 8 March - Scientist at Peking University, Founder Shanshui Conservation Centre (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kQf-GiX7IzPNdz3-AOWkOMisqCsLNZAA/view?usp=sharing)

Prof Lu started her panda research 40 years ago despite the fact that everyone discouraged her as the work in the field and on wildlife is not the “job for a girl”. Professor Lu works on community-based conservation where she is making communities aware that this rich biodiversity is an opportunity for them to create a better life while at the same time protecting these resources allows them to sustainably use these resources for a long time. She also believes that as a woman you have more patience to observe animal behaviour and can connect better to local villagers to understand what their needs are. 

1. Maria Koloshnikova (Kyrgyzstan) : 9 March - Director of Movegreen, an environmental NGO (https://drive.google.com/file/d/19k6dc8DyEcGaL5jPJLNu6w19OJ6LSz-w/view?usp=sharing)

Maria recalls how much she was shocked when she saw a photo of the capital Bishkek in 2017 where the entire city was covered with smog. Her organization Movegreen decided to install sensors in order to understand for the citizens the air quality they breathe. With the mobile application AQ.kg, everyone  can now monitor the air quality and take decisions as to when go cycling, jogging or better wait till the air quality has improved. She also recalls that her start as a woman in local politics hasn’t been easy as she was mainly confronted with men at the municipal level who seemed to prioritize economics and politics first and environmental concerns have not been on top of the to-do-list. 

1. Wang Yaping (China) – 10 March – Astronaut and Space teacher at China Manned Space Agency

Talking from the outer space on a 6 months mission, Wang Yaping encourages women and girls to pursue their space dreams. She emphasizes that there are no differences between space men and women and that women can be complementary to men while working in the space.

1. Louise Mabulo (Philippines) : 11 March - Farmer, Chef, entrepreneur

Louise talks about how her project began in the aftermath of super Typhoon Nock-ten which destroyed 80% of agricultural land in her hometown alone. With her Cacao project she is working to build a more holistic, sustainable food system to make sure that farmers are empowered to actually build these methods of resilience and to make sure women have an equal stake in the industry of agriculture to empower the communities. Her work involved over 200 farmers  with whom she has planted over 100,000 trees. She emphasizes that we all hold a large responsibility and role in doing just one thing for the better for future generations.     

1. Marie-Claire Graf (Switzerland) : 12 March - Climate Justice Activist

A young climate activist, Marie-Claire is engaged in the climate policy level and advocates especially for young females to sit at the negotiating table where she finds women are often underrepresented. For Marie-Claire, climate education is the basis for action. She is travelling the world to raise awareness in companies but also in schools about the importance of climate protection.  

1. Alessandra Kopra (Brazil) – 13 March - Coordinator Pariri Indigenous people association

As an indigenous woman from the Munduruku tribe, Alessandra and her community are defending her territory in the Amazons against exploitation by mining companies and hydro-power plants. Alessandra talks about the governments project to legalise mining on indigenous lands as hers and how her community and other tribes are suffering. She explains how the Pariri association is working with Munduruku peoples who have occupied for more than three centuries this land, establishing a relationship of reciprocity with the forest.    

Resources available on indigenous people's Munduruku story and dam building in the Amazon: 

1. https://turtle.photoshelter.com/gallery/Tapajos-and-Munduruku/G00002xt0o6WnspU/C0000CCw4Fn_bgAY
2. http://www.hypnotiktv.co.uk/portfolio/a-brief-encounter-on-the-tapajos-river/
3. http://www.hypnotiktv.co.uk/portfolio/belo-monte-cheap-energy-at-a-very-high-cost/

YOUTUBE PLAYLISTS: 

UN Geneva - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvVPhV83QcIAHdLqblggIN8KyaI8YKuqR

UN HQ - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0bTAM-9iNx5KGHpNF93rDXO