PURPOSE : Drought is one of the most destructive natural disasters in terms of the loss of life arising from impacts, such as widescale crop failure, wildfires and water stress. Exacerbated by land degradation and climate change, droughts are increasing in frequency and severity, up 29% since 2000, with 55 million people affected every year. By 2050, droughts may affect an estimated three-quarters of the world’s population. It’s a global and urgent issue. The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nations observance celebrated each year on 17 June. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the presence of desertification and drought, highlighting methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought.
FORUM : “HER LAND. HER RIGHTS.” International Day to combat Desertification and Drought 2023. The global focus is on women’s land rights— essential for achieving the interconnected global goals on gender equality and land degradation neutrality by 2030 and contributing to the advancement of several other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Women hold a vital stake in the health of the land, yet they often don’t have control over it. In all parts of the world, women face significant barriers in securing land rights, limiting their ability to thrive and prosper. And when land becomes degraded and water is scarce, women are often the worst affected. Investing in women’s equal access to land and associated assets is a direct investment in their future and the future of humanity. It’s time for women and girls to be at the forefront of global land restoration and drought resilience efforts. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #Herland, #United4land, #17june, #DesertificationDay.
EVENTS : The High-level event entitled “Her Land. Her Rights: Advancing Gender Equality and Land Restoration Goals.” to mark the International Day to combat Desertification and Drought Day 2023 will be held at UNHQ in New York on June 16th from 10:00 – 19:00 EDT; The high-level event will focus on policies and actions needed to advance women’s land rights and promote stronger female leadership and decision-making power in sustainable land management. The event will be opened by Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 78th General Assembly, and will include participation by leaders representing governments, international organizations, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, women and youth. It will include interactive dialogues and statements from the floor moderated by UNCCD Executive Secretary Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw and also feature musical performances by UNCCD Goodwill Ambassadors. The event is organized jointly by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UN Women, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Offce of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the high-level event will bring together leaders and gender equality champions to discuss policies and actions needed to advance women’s land rights and promote stronger female leadership and decision-making power in sustainable land management.
STATEMENTS
PODCASTS: Talking About the Convention, the UNCCD 2018-2030 Strategic Framework and how to use the Drought Toolbox. Examples of stories and case studies from around the world demonstrate how the recognition of land rights has sparked signifcant investments in long-term land and soil conservation. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: “HER LAND. HER RIGHTS.” Investing in women’s equal access to, use of and control over land and associated assets is a direct investment in their future and the future of humanity and the planet. Women are instrumental in providing security and stability in rural communities with great potential to contribute to land restoration activities. The UNCCD’s #HerLand campaign is highlighting the importance of women’s land rights in sustainable land management. Get the campaign materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
The General Assembly established the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management, and declared 17 June "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought" by its resolution A/RES/49/115.
Droughts have always been a part of nature and the human experience but are now much worse largely due to human activity. Hardly any country is immune to drought, but all countries can prepare better to tackle drought effectively. Drought is daunting, as its effects on people’s lives and livelihoods are devastating. But through ingenuity, commitment and solidarity, it can be addressed successfully. Tools are available to assess drought risk. Solutions exist to ensure lives and livelihoods are no longer lost to drought.
In 2007, the UN General Assembly declared 2010-2020 as United Nations Decade for Deserts and the fight against Desertification to mobilize global action to fight land degradation, led again by the UNCCD Secretariat.
UNCCD's 197 parties (169 affected by desertification) work together to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought in drylands — the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.
Since 2017, the UNCCD and its partners supported about 70 drought-prone countries to develop national action plans to reduce drought disasters.
ACTIONS
Action can be taken at all levels, from citizens, businesses, governments and UN partners, everyone can come on board and lend a helping hand to rise up from drought together. Everyone can participate in actions that increase our collective resilience because every action counts.
As an individual, engage in the #Droughtland Campaign. Share, expand and grow your influence on- and off-line to promote sound water management and drought impact mitigation
Support communities to tackle drought head on. No amount of early warning will work without action to protect the most vulnerable
Set up drought insurance programmes; establish food banks; build capacity and campaign for water-efficient food production.
Regenerate your land. If it is healthy, land is natural storage for fresh water. If it is degraded, it is not. Plant and consume drought-tolerant crops. Irrigate efficiently. Recycle and reuse of water. Reduce water evaporation and soil erosion. Mix food sources.
Engage with schools. Educate, communicate and activate through children and the youth. Investigate and disseminate practical drought resilience ideas and inform local communities about the most appropriate actions for their soil and land types for instance.
Invest in projects that promote solar-powered water pumps and rainwater harvesting for drought-prone communities.
Share your Stories about drought risks and resilience with the world.
PARTNERSHIPS
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is hosted by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); The UNDP-Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification; The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); The International Food and Research Development (IFAD).
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will reaffirm its commitment to gender equality with these objectives:
Raise awareness of the disproportionate impact of desertification, land degradation and drought on women and girls and the barriers they face in decision-making on land issues;
Highlight women’s contributions to sustainable land management and broader SDGs;
Mobilize global support to advance land rights for women and girls around the world.
The UNCCD is therefore calling on all members of the global community to treat the land as a limited and precious natural capital, prioritize its health in the pandemic recovery and push hard to restore the land during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Everyone has a role to play because everyone has a stake in the future.