Video invitation to the National Congress of Women from Women's Climate Congress Founder Dr Janet Salisbury (Note this video refers to the 3-day face-to-face event we were hoping to host at the end of 2021. The reasons for participating are still just the same though!)

NATIONAL CONGRESS OF WOMEN  2021

​Who are we?  
The National Congress of Women is hosted by the Women’s Climate Congress (WCC). The WCC was born at two inaugural meetings with about 45 women in Canberra early in 2020  during the smoke of the Black Summer bushfires and (for the first meeting) on the day of a massive and damaging hailstorm. The WCC has grown into a not-for-profit nonpartisan organisation with a diverse network of women members from across Australia.
 
We in the WCC believe that it is a time for women’s leadership to shift polarised political culture towards a collaborative and cooperative approach to climate change. In our activities we aim to model women’s leadership to encourage this approach, and to advocate for nurture of life and intergenerational equity as the foundation for climate policy. 

Among many participatory, educative and  advocacy explorations and activities, the National Congress of Women is the key focus of the WCC for 2021-22. The National Congress will bring a diverse group of Australian women together to develop a Women's Declaration calling for united action on climate change, to be presented to the Australian government and widely publicised. 

Why now?
Climate change policy has been divisive in Australia for far too long. The Women’s Climate Congress seeks justice for those affected by a change in policy in the short term.  We accept responsibility for where we are and acknowledge the benefits we have all enjoyed from exploitation of fossil fuels. However the future requires effective climate action NOW.

We must avoid time-wasting and blame, implement creative transition policies and work together across political divides to achieve this – for the sake of our children, grandchildren/current and future generations and all life on Earth.

We think this is the natural thing for women to do.   

The events in parliament this year surrounding the treatment of women and women’s participation have created further momentum to our movement as more women speak out for a different style of political governance, including in relation to environmental issues and climate change.

We have deliberately positioned our National Congress to launch following the 26th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Partners 26 (UNFCCC COP26) which will be held in Glasgow in November 2021.  As most other Western countries are reporting significantly stronger action than Australia we are hopeful that this exposure on the world stage may open opportunities for Australia to revisit its current policy approach to climate change.

What's different about this Congress?
Over the full series of events, the WCC aim to make this Congress a very different and inspiring event, developed along women’s ways of working together. This will mean lots of talking from the heart, lots of laughter and tears, and real meaningful engagement. This is an exciting opportunity for authentic women’s conversations, deep learning from each other and leaders in the climate field, and for concerted collaboration and action.

There will also be opportunities to hear from and to meet with elected representatives, with artists and scientists, with women participating in conversations and actions across the country. 

 The arts will hold a central spot to amplify our voices and the Congress will provide plenty of time to engage, discuss, and contribute to the women’s declaration calling for collaborative national action on climate change. 
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Go to our registration page

Women's Climate Congress Ltd, 2021 
www.womensclimatecongress.com