President Tarja Halonen awarded with Millennium Torch in Copenhagen
President of the Republic Tarja Halonen was awarded with the Millennium Torch presented by the Danish government. The reward was awarded in a women's event organised in context with the Copenhagen Climate Conference.
The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs awarding the reward emphasised Halonen's merits in promoting the status of women.
The Danish government has awarded the symbolic torch since 2000 for meritorious promotion of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Halonen's reward was the 101st.
In her speech of thanks, Halonen promised to keep up her work for better status of women to the best of her abilities. The President also promised that Finland will continue to financially support women in, for example, the developing countries.
In Halonen's view, women hold a key position in many ways in fighting the threats caused by the climate change.
“This is not to underestimate men; they constitute nearly half of the population, after all,” Halonen said and made the audience, dominated by women, laugh.
“The best way to get results is hand in hand, working together.”
Improving the status and rights of women, especially in the developing world, is, in Halonen's view, an effective and powerful means for solving environmental problems.
“The rights of women are also human rights,” Halonen pointed out.
The President of the Republic also highlighted women's importance in fighting the climate change in her official speech in one of the general sessions of the Copenhagen Climate Conference.
Women should be included in negotiating decisions and implementing them
“Building a bridge towards a sustainable world is each and everyone's right and duty. We women have an important role, too. It is crucial to include women both in negotiating decisions and implementing them. Women should be included on all levels internationally, nationally and locally,” Halonen demanded.
According to Halonen, developing countries need more funding for adapting to the climate change, evolving towards lower emissions and preventing deforestation.
“We must pay particular attention to the most poor and vulnerable. We will need more public as well as private funding.”
According to Halonen, Finland is prepared to pay its share.
“We have already promised to contribute 110 million Euros of so called fast-start financing over the next three years, and we are ready to consider raising the sum in the event of a successful agreement,” Halonen promised.
Kari Rissa, Copenhagen
The author is a reporter specialised in environmental and development issues.