The Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st) in collaboration with Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres (FCAM), Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA), and Heinrich Böll Foundation on November 4, co-hosted a joint side event on Gender-just climate finance – from barriers to solutions

Representatives from various organisations on the panel session include Liane Schalatek of Heinrich Böll Foundation, Titilope Ngozi Akosa of Centre for 21st Century Issues, Florencia Ortuzar Greene of GAGGA/AIDA, Laura Garcia of Global Greengrants Fund, Representative Climate Fund (TBC), Representative of Country Delegation (TBC).

The discussions were centred on how climate finance can be made accessible for women-led community-based organisations. Despite the gender-just climate solutions and initiatives worth funding support, many groups lack access to finance.

The panelists unanimously stated that for climate finance to support climate action in a just and effective way it needs to be gender-just. There are many successful and inspiring gender-just climate solutions, but they are grossly underfunded and climate finance decision-making continues to be exclusive.

The Executive Director, Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st), Titilope Ngozi Akosa in her own presentation at the session stated that many women are not having access to finance, noting that climate finance is pivotal to benefiting women and communities at large.

She noted that C21st has been able to mobilise women, organise capacity buildings taking them (women) through the rudiments of how to access funds from relevant institutions, helping local women get ready for climate finance, organising local women into groups, networks for easy access to finance.

“Local women are in a movement, and when you speak in a movement, your voice is heard loudly, this will help tackle impacts of climate change on the ground.” She affirmed.

Akosa explained that some of the challenges faced by women is having the relevant profiles to be able to access funds, she noted that many women are working assiduously in various communities especially starting from their homes because they are most impacted by climate change.

“Local women are doing actively well in their various communities, they’ve their gender just solutions, Women-led climate solutions, all they need is funding to upscale their solutions.” She stated.

She further highlighted that access to finance will help reduce the impacts of climate change especially starting from their families.

“The funds should be in our hands (women), not in the hands of others. Women should be part of the solutions because we are expert in our own issues, funds should be in our hands, so that we can address climate change issues.”

Akosa said, “Women are key to climate adaptation in their community yet so many we work with do not know how to access high-level funding

“We need the funds to be in our hands, not in the hands of other people. Is it enough? Does it trickle down? We are the ones being impacted. We know what to do without these funds. We are experts on our own issues that impact us everyday.

“Women are already working in their communities, in their families. Climate change impacts women much more b/c they are the ones who manage food in household, water, look after children, also participate in community activities. Women are first to be hit.”

“We’ve heard and seen a lot of climate finance but those who need it — women — their vulnerability is very visible but the finance to deal with it is not visible.” She added.