Brazil
The Brazil consultation brought together 40 diverse women leaders from various sectors and regions across Brazil, emphasizing the need for increased access to financial resources and capacity-building opportunities in climate finance for women working in territories. Participants highlighted the necessity of applying a gender lens to existing financial mechanisms to empower women leaders. Another significant issue discussed was the technical complexity of current climate policies, which many found inaccessible. Simplifying this language and enhancing communication channels were deemed essential for empowering local leaders.
A consensus emerged on establishing a national network that operates locally to cater to Brazil's environmental and cultural diversity. Organizing this network by biomes was suggested to foster tailored climate actions. Additionally, the consultation underscored the importance of amplifying marginalized and displaced communities' voices in climate policymaking.
The next steps include forging partnerships with existing initiatives to identify synergies leading up to COP 30. Mapping the broader ecosystem of gender initiatives in climate will support strategic collective actions.
Nepal
The consultation in Nepal highlighted the critical need to address gender inequality and climate change, emphasizing women's underrepresentation in climate decision-making processes.
While women contribute significantly to climate action, many operate in isolation, reducing their overall influence. The consultation provided a platform for local stakeholders to discuss how to enhance gender-responsive climate initiatives and bring marginalized voices to the forefront.
It aimed to foster a collaborative approach to building a sustainable and inclusive movement under the 'SHE Changes Climate Nepal' network. The outcomes include key recommendations such as mapping climate organizations, conducting baseline studies, and building advocacy networks to ensure a cohesive approach to climate and social justice.
Kenya
The stakeholder consultation convened by the SHE Changes Climate Kenya network aimed to reshape the future direction of the SCC movement within the country, aligning with the broader goal of advancing gender-inclusive climate leadership. The meeting provided a platform for key stakeholders in the Kenyan climate space to share insights, identify challenges, and explore opportunities for increasing women's representation in climate policy and decision-making. The consultative session aimed to refine the SCC's strategy in Kenya by understanding the unique climate justice issues affecting women and amplifying the voices of grassroots female leaders whose impactful work often remains unrecognised.
The consultation gathered a select group of participants, including SCC team members, climate experts, and representatives from organizations like the World Resources Institute Africa and Shack Dwellers International. The discussions highlighted both policy gaps and strategic entry points to ensure that climate actions are more gender-responsive and that marginalized voices are heard and integrated into decision-making processes.
India
The SHE Changes Climate India consultation, held virtually with 24 diverse participants, aimed to chart the future of the movement in India, emphasizing policy gaps, capacity building, and amplifying marginalized voices. Discussions underscored the need for more inclusive policies, robust gender-disaggregated data, and targeted support for marginalized communities.
The consultation served as a platform to understand the gaps in existing climate policies, to identify opportunities for strengthening the role of women in climate leadership, and to co-create a strategic plan that aligns with the SCC’s mission in India. The insights gathered from the consultation will inform both the SCC India action plan and contribute to shaping the SCC global strategy, ensuring it is contextually relevant and responsive to local needs.
Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe consultation focused on evaluating the effectiveness of policies addressing the intersection of climate change and gender equity, highlighting gaps and assessing how current measures tackle these interconnected challenges.
Another significant area of exploration was the identification of marginalized and underrepresented groups, with strategies proposed to enhance their engagement and amplify their voices in climate-related decision-making processes. Additionally, various ongoing initiatives were examined to uncover opportunities for synergy and collaboration, aiming to create a more cohesive and impactful approach to addressing climate and social justice issues.
The desired outcome of the global consultation was to reach a more active engagement with those sharing similar concerns about gender inequality and climate change and to build a coalition of partners committed to addressing women’s under-representation in climate decision-making. The consultation provided a platform to discuss the importance of cross-cutting themes and intersectionality in the gender and climate space, to identify the most relevant climate-policy mechanisms, and to reflect on how to break down silos and foster collaboration.
Discussions underscored the importance of intersectional issues affecting women, the need to link global and local action, and to actively support the renewal of the Lima Work Programme on Gender and its Action Plan.
The outcomes of this consultation will help shape SHE Changes Climate's forthcoming Strategic Action Plan.
For access to the full reports from each consultation, feel free to contact us at hello@shechangesclimate.org