Troika+ of Women Leaders on Gender and Climate Change

The Troika+ of Women Leaders on Gender and Climate Change is a network of women leaders and supportive men committed to working together on gender and climate change, consisting of more than 55 high profile women leaders including women Ministers, deputy Ministers and senior women leaders from various international organisations.

The decision to create a Troika+ of Women Leaders on Gender and Climate Change was a key outcome from a high-level event co-hosted by the Government of Mexico and the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties/ Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP16/CMP6) in Cancun, Mexico in 2011. The original Troika comprised of the following women COP Presidents: the COP15/CMP5 President and Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark, Connie Hedegaard, COP16/CMP6 President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mexico, Patricia Espinosa and COP17/CMP7 President and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, South Africa, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.

Since 2011, the Foundation has served as Secretariat to the Troika+, providing briefing papers and facilitating convenings of the members, usually in the margins of key international events, such as the annual COP and the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Supported by the Foundation the collective leadership of the Troika+ seeks to highlight and address the gender dimensions of climate policy by building the political will for action.

The Troika+ played a significant role in realising the “Doha Miracle”, decision 23/CP.18: Promoting gender balance and improving the participation of women in UNFCCC negotiations and in the representation of Parties in bodies established pursuant to the Convention or the Kyoto Protocol. The decision was an important step forward in enabling women’s participation by recognising the need for gender balance in all UNFCCC bodies and delegations and also the need to monitor the gender balance on an annual basis. The decision also placed gender as a standing item on the COP Agenda to ensure it received the necessary attention. Through collective action and leadership the Troika+ succeeded in overcoming significant procedural obstacles with a decision being introduced and adopted at the same COP.