SUPPORTING WOMEN AND THEIR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS DRIVING THE RESPONSE TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS

Women and Climate Security

The Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is channeling funding to local women’s civil society organizations to enhance their active participation and leadership in climate security efforts on the front lines.

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Climate change is now impacting all corners of the world. Over 3.3 billion people are “highly vulnerable” to climate change, according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Recognized as an increasing risk to security, climate change negatively impacts environmental systems worldwide, resulting in secondary risks such as an increase in conflict, political instability, population displacements, poverty, and hunger — all of which have disproportionate effects on women and girls.

Across countries, women and girls are increasingly compelled to respond to the interrelated impacts of climate change and violent conflict, creating further risks to their security and challenging recovery and peacebuilding efforts. Patriarchal norms and structural gender inequalities mean that women and girls are disproportionately exposed to the impacts of climate change, with fewer resources or opportunities to adapt. These norms are often deepened in climate-related crises, during which economic loss and the lack of access to resources such as food and water, as well as rising conflict, result in increased gender-based violence (GBV) and the loss of livelihoods for women and girls, among other issues.

Supporting Women At the Forefront of Climate Action

Providing quality, flexible, and timely financing to women’s civil society organizations already on the front lines of this response is critical to enable their active participation in climate security efforts. WPHF civil society partners are implementing activities contributing to climate security in crisis contexts including building resilience to climate change and disasters, enhancing early warning and climate-related data collection, some of which are outlined below.

As part of its 2023–2025 Strategic Plan, the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) launched its Women and Climate Security Initiative, focusing on the link between climate change and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. WPHF aims to accelerate women’s work in climate security across its portfolio and promote selected strategic climate security opportunities in partnership with member states, civil society organizations and the private sector. 

The initiative provides flexible programmatic and institutional financing for local women’s organizations to leverage their strategic positions and expertise on the intersections of climate, peace and security in their communities across the following thematic areas: 

  • Prevention of climate-related conflicts and injustice: Women participate in and inform decision-making processes and responses related to the prevention of climate-related conflicts and injustice (aligned with WPHF impact area 2) 
  • Humanitarian response to climate-related crises/disasters: Climate-related humanitarian/crisis response planning, frameworks and programming are gender inclusive and responsive (aligned with WPHF impact area 3) 
  • Economic and political participation on climate security: Women lead and participate in socio-economic recovery and political decision-making to reduce climate-related conflicts and injustice (aligned with WPHF impact area 6) 

To date, WPHF has launched four climate security Calls for Proposals in the Pacific, Nigeria, Colombia, and Bangladesh, generating interest from 338 CSOs who submitted proposals. A fifth CfP will be launched in Myanmar in the coming month. Resources such as the climate security and justice impact and indicator tip sheet have helped CSOs to apply to this initiative. 

Eligible countries

Among the WPHF list of active and reserve list countries, 12 countries and group of countries have very high and high levels of climate-related, making it a priority area for funding:

In addition, WPHF has selected reserve list countries eligible for climate security funding based on evolving needs. They include:

Project highlights

COLOMBIA

In Colombia, WPHF is supporting the Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica (CIASE), on a project that aims to strengthen the leadership and participation of Indigenous women in environmental governance and position them as key actors in advancing climate justice and preventing conflicts related to environmental insecurity. Focused in Nariño, the project seeks to improve water security and reduce conflict over natural resources by empowering women and youth leaders involved in reforestation and environmental stewardship. Key activities include the formation of climate governance committees with at least 50% women in leadership, alongside dialogue spaces and exchange forums that promote peaceful natural resource management and climate adaptation through traditional and innovative practices. The project also runs awareness campaigns on climate impacts, the role of women as environmental defenders, and the links between environmental degradation and violence. Women leaders are supported to co-develop political advocacy strategies and land use plans centered on water governance and 

biodiversity. Reforestation efforts led by women and youth contribute to climate mitigation and reduce environmental pressures that can fuel local conflict, reinforcing women’s roles in both environmental protection and conflict prevention.  

NIGERIA

In Nigeria, WPHF is supporting the Center for Women’s Studies and Intervention (CWSI) on a project that aims to empower women-led civil society organizations, policymakers, and community leaders to lead climate security initiatives and address conflict and injustice rooted in natural resource management. Key activities include training Community Peace Advocates to lead climate security efforts and reduce resource-based conflicts, alongside providing women with climate-smart agricultural techniques like rainwater harvesting and rotational planting. The project aims to distribute organic seeds for climate-resilient crops to women in conflict-affected areas, while coaching women’s groups on planting, harvesting, and marketing these crops to address economic injustice and environmental challenges. The project also aims to establish Community Climate Security Architecture Dialogues to foster continuous communication on climate security and early warning systems. Community leaders, both men and women, are engaged to monitor the implementation of climate-smart practices, ensuring accountability and collaboration in promoting peace and resilience. 

VANUATU

In Vanuatu, WPHF is supporting Action Aid Vanuatu on a project that, aims to address climate-induced gender-based 

violence and insecurity while enhancing women’s leadership in preventing climate-related conflict and violence. Key activities include strengthening early warning systems to monitor and prevent climate-related conflicts, alongside providing safe spaces for women to organize, share learning, and respond to conflicts. The project aims to establish emergency shelters, community kitchens, and psychosocial referral pathways, in collaboration with local programs like the Committee Against Violence Against Women (CAVAW). The project further aims to empower women by training them in the use of the Vanuatu Survivor-Victims Charter through a training-of-trainers model and developing community-based Climate Resilience and Security Action Plans. Women’s participation in decision-making processes will be strengthened to prevent climate-related conflicts and injustice. Additionally, the project supports women in improving early warning systems, providing timely climate and emergency information through bulk SMS and a phone tree network to enhance women’s resilience and safety. 

Key Impact

TONGA

With WPHF support, the Tonga Community Development Trust empowered over 2,000 women and marginalized people to lead in disaster preparedness. Women now serve on Village Disaster Committees and 30 resilience plans reflect gender and traditional knowledge priorities. Home gardens have strengthened food security, and national authorities recognize women’s inclusion as key to improving coordination and gender-responsive disaster planning.  

UGANDA

Supported by WPHF, the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE) established Peace Hubs and Local Peace Committees that mediated over 100 land and domestic disputes. Multi-stakeholder dialogues led to company commitments on land and GBV, while radio programs reached 4 million listeners. Training in organic farming and crafts is helping women strengthen food security and peace in their communities. 

NIGER

Through WPHF’s Land for Women project, the Association des Jeunes pour l’Environnement et l’Éducation Civique (AJEEC) is increasing women’s participation in land governance and climate-resilient livelihoods. Digital tools like the Halassey-Bani platform have helped prevent 58 land disputes and raised women’s representation in local governance by 20%. Women leaders are now mediating resource conflicts and advancing climate-smart livelihoods, earning national and international recognition, including at COP16 in Saudi Arabia. 

Advocacy

The WPHF Funding Initiative on Women and Climate Security has been featured at several events since its launch in December 2023. WPHF co-hosted in person events at COP29 in Azerbaijan, at COP 28 in the United Arab Emirates, the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Antigua and Barbuda, the Berlin Climate Security Conference, and the WPS 25th anniversary, including a meeting between the Group of Friends on Climate and Security and the Group of Friends on Women, Peace and Security, featuring WPHF partners from 4 countries (Colombia, DRC, Uganda and Fiji) as speakers.  

In addition, a WPHF partner from Colombia briefed members of the UN Security Council on her work as a woman human rights defender on climate security and climate justice issues at an in-person UNSC Arria-Formula meeting in New York and a briefing of climate experts at the Slovenian Mission in New York. Two breakfast meetings with Germany’s Secretary of State and Climate Envoy Jennifer Morgan were held in Nigeria and Fiji with three WPHF-funded partners to discuss women’s participation and leadership in climate security.  

WPHF also acted as a speaker at 8 in-person and online events highlighting the WPHF Funding Initiative on Women and Climate Security and the 

importance of investing in women and girls to prevent and respond to climate-related conflicts and injustice. These include three side events in the blue zone at COP29 and COP29, an in- person donor roundtable discussion at the Third Environmental Peacebuilding Conference in The Hague, and a briefing of the Group of friends on Women, Peace and Security.

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