Islamabad : Recognising the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women and their vital role in addressing environmental challenges, media spokesperson and climate policy advocacy expert Muhammad Saleem Shaikh on Sunday said Pakistan’s climate policy framework emphasises empowering women as central actors in climate action, sustainable natural resource management and community resilience.
As the country faces increasing climate risks ranging from floods and droughts to heat waves and water stress, strengthening women’s participation in climate governance and socio-economic development has become a critical policy priority, he said on the occasion of International Women’s Day, observed globally on March 8 each year.
“Empowering women is essential for building climate resilience, achieving sustainable development and strengthening communities across Pakistan,” the ministry spokesperson said.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme announced by the United Nations -- “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” -- calls for removing discriminatory laws and practices, ensuring access to justice for women and girls, and translating commitments on gender equality into concrete action.
A widely-recognised campaign theme for 2026, “Give to Gain,” highlights the idea that investing in women’s empowerment produces broader social and economic benefits. The campaign encourages governments, institutions and communities to support women’s education, leadership and economic participation to close gender gaps in decision-making, employment and social opportunities.
Shaikh said the theme strongly resonates with cultural values of generosity and collective progress.
“In our culture, generosity strengthens community. When you give land to build a school, you gain an educated generation. When you give trust, you gain loyalty. When you give opportunity, you gain transformation,” he said.
“The same principle applies to climate governance. If we give women meaningful space in climate decision-making, we gain more inclusive and effective policies.”
He noted that Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy recognises that climate change has differentiated impacts across society and that women, particularly in rural areas, are often more vulnerable because of social, economic and structural inequalities.
Most rural women are engaged in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, forestry and livestock management. Climate change therefore adds to their household workload as they struggle with declining agricultural productivity, water scarcity and the growing burden of collecting fuel wood and water.
Recent disasters have further highlighted women’s vulnerability during extreme weather events, as they generally have fewer financial resources, limited access to assets and restricted mobility during emergencies, he said.
However, the policy also recognises women as powerful agents of change who must be actively involved in shaping climate solutions.
“The National Climate Change Policy clearly acknowledges that advancing gender equality is essential for building a resilient and sustainable society,” Shaikh said.
“It emphasises mainstreaming gender perspectives in climate policies, recognising women’s contributions to natural resource management and ensuring their participation in climate-related decision-making at all levels.”
He said the government is implementing the Climate Change Gender Action Plan (ccGAP) to strengthen gender-responsive climate action. The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Climate Change in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature Pakistan, with support from international partners including the Green Climate Fund.
Adopted in July 2022, the ccGAP seeks to empower women in environmental decision-making by integrating their roles across six priority sectors, including disaster risk reduction, agriculture, forestry, water management and climate governance.
The programme focuses on strengthening the resilience of women and girls against climate-related disasters while enhancing their capacity to contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Women are increasingly participating in community-based environmental initiatives such as mangrove plantation campaigns, climate awareness programmes and sustainable natural resource management activities.
Shaikh said women’s knowledge of local ecosystems, agricultural practices and water resources can significantly strengthen climate adaptation strategies at the grassroots level.
