The Vice Minister of Women of the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations of Peru, Ana María Alejandra Mendieta, reported on the developments of the regional process on Principle 10 at the 51 Meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women of Latin America and the Caribbean held in Santiago between 17 and 19 November 2014.
On this occasion, the Vice Minister highlighted the agreements reached at the fourth meeting of the focal points of Principle 10 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among them, she underscored the Santiago Decision which initiates the negotiations of a common agreement on the access rights to information, participation and justice in environmental matters. She likewise pinpointed the appointment of Peru as a vice-presidency of the Presiding Officers that will coordinate the negotiations.
In addition, while recalling her country’s commitment with the process, the senior official encouraged participants to get actively involved in the construction of the regional instrument and invited those countries of the region that are still not signatories to join the process.
The regional process on Principle 10 began with the Declaration on the application of Principle 10 in Latin America and the Caribbean adopted in the framework of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), held in June 2012. By means of the Declaration, the signatory countries undertake to advance in the achievement of a regional instrument on the rights of access to environmental information, participation and justice, areas which are enshrined in the Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in 1992. The regional process currently has 19 signatory countries.
