E/CN.6/2024/L.3 those in vulnerable situations, are often disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, extreme weather events and natural disasters and other environmental issues, s uch as land degradation, desertification, deforestation, sand and dust storms, persistent drought, floods, sea level rise, coastal erosion and ocean acidification, including disproportionate exposure to risk and increased loss of life and livelihoods, and reiterates its deep concern over the challenges posed by climate change to the achievement of sustainable development and poverty eradication. It recalls that the parties to the Paris Agreement acknowledged that they should, when taking action to address c limate change, respect, promote and consider gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and intergenerational equity and, in this context, also recalls the adoption of the second gender action plan by the Conference of the Parties to the United Na tions Framework Convention on Climate Change at its twenty-fifth session. 19. The Commission recalls the establishment of the women and peace and security agenda and reaffirms that the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all stages of peace processes, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding is one of the essential factors for the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security. 20. The Commission strongly condemns all forms of violence against women and girls, which are rooted in historical and structural inequalities and unequal power relations between men and women. It reiterates that all forms of violence against women and girls, in public and private spheres, online and offline, including sexual and gender-based violence, such as sexual harassment, rape, gender-related killings, including femicide, and harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation, as well as child and forced labour, trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation and abuse, are pervasive, underrecognized and underreported, particularly at the community level. It remains deeply concerned by the magnitude of various forms of violence against women and girls, including violence that occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology, and the significant physical, sexual, psychological, social, political and economic harm that it causes throughout their life course. It expresses deep concern that women and girls may be particularly vulnerable to violence because of multidimensional poverty, including intergenerational poverty, disability and limited or lack of access to justice, effective legal remedies and psychosocial services, including protection, rehabilitation and reintegration, and to health-care services. It re-emphasizes that violence against women and girls is a major impediment to the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and that it violates and impairs or nullifies their full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. 21. The Commission recognizes that systemic bias embedded in the economic and social structures of society expose women and girls to a disproportionately high risk of violence and that, in turn, violence heightens women ’s risk of poverty, economic hardship, financial dependence, economic exclusion and homelessness, including in old age, because of, inter alia, the associated out-of-pocket health expenditures, loss of earnings and unequal participation in the labour market, wh ich can translate into limited or no access to contributory social security benefits. It further condemns all violence experienced by women that comprises actions aimed at making women financially dependent or exerting abusive control of finances, and reco gnizes that the economic independence of women can expand their options for leaving abusive and violent relationships. 22. The Commission acknowledges the need to address the effects of armed conflict and post-conflict situations on women and girls, including victims and survivors of sexual violence. 24-05678 5/27