Notification 2017-092

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity is convening a regional expert workshop to support the development of training materials on gender and biodiversity from 28 to 30 November 2017, in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop is being convened with financial support from the Government of Sweden. The workshop aims to bring together training expertise on gender and environmental issues, together with expertise on the national implementation of the Convention, in order to assess training needs in the region and approaches to support improved gender integration in biodiversity planning and programming. The workshop is part of an initiative by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity to support gender-responsive implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, including related activities to address biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, through the preparation of regionally appropriate training materials. By this notification, I am pleased to invite your government to nominate one official involved in the implementation of the Convention to participate in this workshop. Please note that due to limited funding available, only a limited number of government representatives will be selected from across the region. In addition, participants from the broader gender and environment field will also be identified, in collaboration with regional partners. Nominees who take part in this workshop will be expected to contribute their experience and understanding of opportunities and challenges for gender mainstreaming in biodiversity policy and programming. Participants should be individuals from national agencies with relevant expertise, such as active gender focal points, who are engaged in advancing approaches to address gender issues in biodiversity-related policy and programming. The Secretariat encourages the nomination of an official who meets the following criteria: (i) Working knowledge of the Convention on Biological Diversity; (ii) Experience, knowledge and expertise on national and regional environmental policy and networks; (iii) A clear responsibility within a national-level institution/agency, related to biodiversity conservation or environmental management; (iv) Some experience and knowledge on gender mainstreaming in the context of national and/or regional biodiversity or environmental policy or programming; (v) Ability to actively contribute to working sessions addressing training needs on gender equality and biodiversity, given their strategic knowledge and practical experiences; and (vi) Availability to support and follow-up on the outcomes of the workshop, including the ability to provide constructive inputs into the development of the workshop and subsequent training materials. Participants will be expected to undertake some preliminary work in preparation for the workshop, involving, among other things, identification and submission of relevant national and/or regional case studies to be considered for inclusion in training materials to be developed. Parties with representatives in the workshop are expected to make use of the training material developed from this initiative to build the capacity of relevant government staff on gender and biodiversity linkages. All Parties wishing to participate in the workshop should provide the name and full contact details of their nominees via a letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and signed by the National Focal Point. Nominations must also be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and by the attached nomination form duly completed. The Secretariat will cover the costs of travel tickets (economy class airfare or alternative transit fare) and accommodation and subsistence (up to a maximum of three nights) for a limited number of developing country Parties in the Southeast Asia and Pacific region eligible for financial support, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) guidelines. Please note that funding priority will be given to eligible Parties when nominations are received from the Ministry responsible for biodiversity or environment. As funding is subject to OECD DAC eligibility, countries that are not eligible for OECD DAC assistance may also nominate a participant. However, if selected, participation would be at the country’s own expense. Nominations should be forwarded, as soon as possible, but no later than 11 October 2017 (scanned and attached to an e-mail addressed to secretariat@cbd.int, or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588). The workshop will be conducted in English. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and for your continued support for the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam