Women waste workers as key climate actors: Lessons from Brazil and South Africa

Reducing Super Pollutants in the waste sector presents a critical opportunity to deliver rapid climate benefits while advancing social inclusion and environmental justice. Integrating a gender-responsive approach into waste management is essential, as women in informal waste and recycling systems play a central yet often undervalued role in reducing emissions and promoting circular economies. 

This webinar will present a new CCAC guidance document Towards Gender-Transformative Action on Super Pollutants produced in partnership with Oxfam America, as well as share how gender-responsive waste strategies and policies developed in Brazil influenced policies in South Africa. Through case studies informed by WIEGO’s work with women waste pickers and informal workers, the session will highlight inclusive models that improve waste diversion, reduce methane emissions from landfills, and decrease black carbon from open burning, while simultaneously strengthening livelihoods, health, and community resilience.

The discussion aims to share insights and foster dialogue among policymakers, practitioners, and civil society on scalable, equitable solutions for reducing SLCPs in the waste sector, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and supporting women waste workers as key climate actors. 

Agenda

• Welcome - Sandra Cavalieri, CCAC Secretariat, Moderator 

• New guidance to enhance SLCP mitigation policy: Towards Gender-Transformative Action on Super Pollutants - Rachel Carle, OXFAM America 

• The power of women in the circular economy, policy lessons from Brazil - Dr. Sonia Dias, Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO)  

• South-South collaboration: How Brazil’s experience took shape in South Africa - Prof. Melanie Samson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa 

• Q&A 

  Moderator: Sandra Cavalieri, CCAC Secretariat