Media Advisory: Asia-Pacific Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Gender and Climate Action

The Asia-Pacific region stands at the forefront of the climate crisis, experiencing some of the most severe impacts of climate change. Women and marginalized groups bear the brunt of these impacts due to existing discriminatory social norms and pervasive gender and social inequalities.

The Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Women are jointly organizing the Asia-Pacific Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Gender Equality and Climate Action on 17-18 October 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Through this multi-stakeholder dialogue, representatives from governments, women’s organizations, civil society organizations, youth and development partners aim to co-create actionable strategies that integrate gender-responsive approaches into climate policies. By fostering collaborative solutions, the event seeks to promote women’s leadership in driving climate solutions and to ensure that climate action prioritizes the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women and the most at-risk groups in the Asia-Pacific region.

Following the multi-stakeholder dialogue, a call to action will be released, outlining actionable strategies and strengthening regional cooperation for sustainable and inclusive climate action in the Asia-Pacific region. This call to action will guide advocacy efforts leading up to the 29^th session of the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) and the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the 30^th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing +30).

The multi-stakeholder dialogue aims to:

• Facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building: Share promising strategies and practices and enhance capacities to increase understanding of the nexus between gender equality and climate action.
• Strengthen regional cooperation: Foster strong regional alliance to ensure that gender considerations are effectively integrated into climate action at the regional, national, and local levels on the nexus between gender equality and climate change.
• Foster policy integration and innovation: Bridge the existing siloes between gender, gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in developing climate change solutions and formulate actionable recommendations for gender-responsive climate action for advocacy and policy to influence Beijing+30 Regional Consultations, COP29, COP30 and other regional and global convening.

This initiative is supported by Women’s Fund Asia as well as the Governments of Germany, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland through the EmPower: Women for Climate-Resilient Societies Programme.

When: 17-18 October 2024

Where: Skyview Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

Who: Government representatives and women’s machineries; women’s organizations and civil society organizations; intergovernmental organizations; youth; development partners; academia; private sector; think tanks; and other subject matter experts from diverse backgrounds including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam

How: The multi-stakeholder dialogue will feature plenary sessions:

• Government representatives share their experience of integrating gender into the national environment policies and plans.
• Climate and gender equality experts share climate vulnerabilities in the region, especially among Indigenous women and girls and women and girls with disabilities.
• Highlight recommendations for immediate actions on the nexus and provide recommendations for sustainable solutions and climate justice.