WMU Releases BBNJ Workshop and Side Events Report
On 12 May 2020, the World Maritime University (WMU) released the BBNJ Workshop and the UNHQ Side Events Report. The former reviews the ‘‘Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ): Towards the Development of a Balanced, Effective and Universal International Agreement” event that was held by WMU in February 2019 with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The international workshop brought together a distinguished audience of over 100 invited guests and contributors to facilitate discussions with a view to moving the BBNJ negotiations towards the development of a balanced, effective and universally agreed internationally legally binding instrument (ILBI). Workshop discussions included the broader context of implementing ocean-related goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The introduction to the report highlights the importance of gender specific provisions in the BBNJ Agreement that will facilitate the empowerment of women scientists as one of the objectives of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The report also includes information about the side event entitled ‘Capacity-Building, Gender Empowerment and the BBNJ Agreement’ that took place on 30 August 2019 at the United Nations headquarters as part of the Third Session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Sponsored by WMU, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Government of the Republic of Palau, and The Nippon Foundation, the side event explored the initiatives that are underway in selected multilateral organizations to promote gender equality, and specifically the empowerment of women in ocean affairs, and in the conduct of ocean science in accordance with UN SDG 5, which are important considerations for the BBNJ negotiations.
To access the report, click here.