3 July 2011: The Third Annual Conference of the South Asia Women’s Network (SWAN) concluded with the adoption of a Declaration defining “green economy” as an economic system that ensures social justice and equity, protects the ecological balance and creates economic sufficiency. According to the Dhaka Declaration, the core ideas of a green economy must be poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability through maintaining biodiversity, and the wellbeing of all people.

The SWAN Annual Conference, held from 2-3 July 2011, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, took the theme “Women of South Asia and the Green Economy.” The Dhaka Declaration, one of the key outcomes of the Conference, highlights that the privatization and commodification of nature cannot be part of a green economy. It underlines the importance of peace in achieving sustainable development within the region, noting that “armed conflict, terrorism and all violent acts are destructive of the green economy.” The Declaration also emphasizes the importance of raising awareness of the green economy and its significance, in order to enable all segments of society to make informed choices, and urges the use of media to support South Asian women in their struggle to meet the challenges of ensuring a green economy for sustainable development.

The Dhaka Declaration will be used as part of regional input into the preparatory process for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). [Dhaka Declaration] [Webpage of Conference]