Women’s Leadership in Climate and Conservation Action Needs Greater Financial Support: Voices from the Women in Global South Alliance (WiGSA)

In recent years, women’s leadership roles at the grassroots level in addressing climate change and tackling the nature and biodiversity crises have become visible. Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local community women are now having their rights-based agendas placed in international forums. Moreover, women are building transcontinental networks of strategic support and advocacy.

The Women in Global South Alliance (WiGSA) is a cross-continental solidarity network of Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local community women from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. WiGSA advocates for scaling up international commitments to recognize women as rightsholders in the climate and conservation global financing space to repair the historical gap in funding for women at the community level. The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), in collaboration with WiGSA, is developing bottom-up research to identify the level of funding reaching women at the territorial level. Preliminary findings published in October 2024 show that data on women’s access to funding is insufficient and inadequate; it is virtually non-existent for Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local community women; and overall investment in gender equality is declining. At London Climate Action Week, WiGSA will bring new data from an ongoing analysis as well as their personal experiences in accessing and transforming current structures of global climate and conservation finances.

Purpose and Objectives

RRI and WiGSA, in collaboration with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the CBD’s Women’s Caucus, will host a side event at LCAW to provide a space for dialogue with WiGSA leaders and international actors on:

⮚     The perspectives and opportunities of women’s organizations directly accessing finance to support their leadership efforts in climate and conservation actions. WiGSA members and other leaders will provide new evidence-based analysis of the level of funding reaching Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local community women and current funding gaps.

⮚     The critical role of community monitoring and gender-environment data in making women’s contributions visible and financing systems more accountable, as well as the importance of adopting a human rights-based approach to financing to ensure that funding flows—including through innovative mechanisms—do not adversely impact women or reinforce existing inequalities.

⮚     Defining tangible next steps to achieve greater gender equity and women’s rights in climate and biodiversity finance in anticipation of the announcement of a second donor Pledge at COP30. This dialogue aims to motivate greater support from and leverage the leadership of the UK government in helping promote gender-sensitive financing and grassroots women’s direct access to funding, including through emerging mechanisms such as the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF).

Master of Ceremonies: Omaira Bolaños, Program Director, RRI

Opening speech: Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature 15’ min

Panel Moderator: Helen Tugendhat, Co-Executive Director, Programmes and Engagement, Synchronicity Earth

Presentation: Introducing the Women in Global South Alliance, WiGSA, 10’ (By one WiGSA member or RRI)

Panel discussion with WiGSA members: 45’ min

●       Devi Anggraini, Perempuam Aman, Indonesia

●       Katia Penha, CONAQ, Brazil

●       Chouchouna Losale, CFLEDD, DRC

●       Sara Omi, CMLTM, Panama

●       Namnyak Sinandei, PWC, Tanzania

●       Sushmita Lama, AIPP, Nepal

Open dialogue with the public: by Moderator, Helen Tugendhat 15 – 20 mins’

Closing remarks: Solange Bandiaky-Badji, President and Coordinator, RRI