Climate Change and Gender Action Policy Workshop Training by The International Union for Conservation of Nature

From September 30 to October 2, the Certa Foundation team attended the capacity-building workshop for women and women’s led organizations linking gender and climate change action organized by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ). The workshop aimed to equip women and organizations with tools to tackle climate change while addressing gender inequalities. The key sectors discussed as most affected were energy, health, agriculture, and land.

Rwanda contributes less than 0.01% to global emissions and is highly vulnerable due to its dependency on natural resources. Climate challenges such as rising temperatures, floods, and droughts intensify the country's need for adaptation and mitigation strategies. The workshop emphasised Rwanda's commitment to reducing emissions by 38% by 2030, achieving a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, and implementing gender-responsive climate action.

The workshop called for innovative solutions and continued efforts to integrate gender perspectives in climate policy, emphasising that inclusive, gender-responsive actions are essential for Rwanda’s climate goals; programs such as climate-smart agriculture and initiatives targeting women's leadership in climate resilience were highlighted. 

Additionally, the workshop included interactive sessions, during which the groups were divided into four sectors and presented on their sectors. Through these interactive sessions, all those invited were given a chance to learn more about the gaps that still need to be filled in Rwanda regarding the nexus of gender and climate change and identify possible areas of action/interventions for a national action plan on gender and climate change. The Certa Foundation team presented in different sectors, with Abraham Rutunda and Trisha Ndahiro presenting for the energy sector, Bella Munezero presenting for the forestry sector as well as  Georgine Mugwaneza and Grace Ageneza working with the health sector. On the workshop's final day, there was the National Workshop on Rwanda’s Climate Change and Gender Action Plan( CCGAP), intended to be reviewed by the government.  Each group had a chance to present recommendations in the online plenary, whereby Certa Foundation intern Trisha Ndahiro presented the final CCGAP for the energy group. 

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