Accelerating Action: Advancing Gender Equality in Climate Resilience

As we marked International Women’s Day 2025 this past weekend, we reaffirmed the urgent need to move beyond awareness and accelerate action toward gender equality in climate resilience. Women, particularly those in climate-vulnerable regions like Isiolo, bear the brunt of climate change impacts—walking longer distances for water, struggling to provide food, and rebuilding homes after extreme weather events. Yet, they are not just victims; they are leaders, innovators, and agents of change.

Isiolo at the Forefront of Gender and Climate Justice

For the second consecutive year, the Kenya Platform for Climate Governance (KPCG), in partnership with Isiolo Gender Watch, celebrated International Women’s Day in Isiolo, reinforcing the county’s leadership in inclusive climate action. A key highlight of the event was a women-led procession from Kilimani Primary School to Burat Chief’s Camp, concluding with a community dialogue under a tree—a powerful symbol of resilience, reflection, and collective action. This gathering amplified women’s voices in local and national climate governance, emphasizing the need for gender-responsive policies.

Recognizing Champions of Gender Equality

During the event, Isiolo Gender Watch, led by Grace Lolim, was honored for its outstanding contributions to gender and climate justice. Their commitment to grassroots advocacy and policy engagement earned them:

✅ The Gender Equality Award by ForumCiv

✅ The Peace and Cohesion Award

Their work has been instrumental in shaping policies, strengthening grassroots women’s movements, and ensuring the inclusion of marginalized voices in climate governance.

Women at the Heart of Climate Solutions

At PACJA, through the Kenya Platform for Climate Governance (KPCG), we are committed to ensuring that women move from the margins to the center of climate decision-making. Our efforts focus on:

• Empowering young women leaders through the Summer School on Climate Justice, equipping them with skills to champion gender and climate justice across Africa.
• Amplifying grassroots voices at global platforms such as COP, ensuring that local realities inform international climate policies.
• Fostering inclusive climate governance, where women, indigenous communities, and marginalized groups play a central role in decision-making.

Yet, despite these efforts, progress remains too slow. Women, especially those in marginalized communities, continue to be excluded from leadership roles and decision-making processes. Women-led climate innovations lack adequate funding, limiting their potential to drive large-scale impact.

Key Insights from the Panel Discussion

Following the women’s procession, a panel discussion delved into critical issues shaping gender equality in climate action. Experts and community leaders emphasized:

✔ The need to strengthen women’s leadership in climate governance.

✔ Bridging Indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches to enhance climate resilience.

✔ Advancing gender-responsive policies to ensure inclusive climate solutions.

✔ Promoting collective responsibility in tackling climate challenges.

Call to Action: Accelerating Gender-Responsive Climate Solutions

The 2025 theme, “Accelerate Action,” reminds us that awareness alone is not enough—we must take decisive steps to remove barriers to women’s participation in climate leadership.

As Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director of PACJA, reminds us: “We are the change makers. We have the solutions.”

To truly accelerate action, we must:

✔ Break barriers to women’s participation in climate governance.

✔ Increase funding for women-led climate solutions.

✔ Institutionalize gender-responsive approaches in all climate policies and programs.

The Road Ahead: A Collective Responsibility

The celebration of International Women’s Day in Isiolo was not just an event—it was a statement of commitment to ensuring that women’s voices shape climate policies, solutions, and governance structures. Now is the time to act—for the women of Isiolo, Kenya, and across Africa.