ISLAMABAD: The fourth edition of the Gender and Climate Award ceremony was held on Wednesday with strong participation from government officials, diplomats, development partners and civil society representatives, reflecting the growing importance of women-led climate action in Pakistan.

The event, initiated by the French embassy, had expanded steadily over the years, drawing increasing numbers of applicants and partners. Organisers highlighted the continued support of key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, UNDP, UN Women, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund.

Calling climate change a ‘Polycrisis’, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman described women as the “last-mile managers of resilience” and urged greater investment in women-led climate action, saying it yielded a 10-fold return in community well-being.

She was delivering a keynote address at the Gender Climate Awards, jointly organised by the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change, the Embassy of France, UN Women and UNDP to honour women climate leaders and grassroots champions.

French envoy reaffirms continued international support for Pakistan’s climate initiatives

“Women are the primary caregivers, resource managers and first responders within households during climate emergencies,” Senator Sherry Rehman who also heads the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change said.

“While men often engage with institutions and authorities, women manage resources at home and make critical decisions about food allocation, water use, healthcare and family survival,” Ms Rehman said.

Citing United Nations estimates, she said 80pc of people displaced by climate change were women and girls, who face heightened vulnerabilities due to unequal access to resources, healthcare, information and decision-making structures.

“Women are working against all odds in communities that do not always work with them,” she said, adding that “they face development deficits and social constraints, yet they continue to lead adaptation efforts and build resilience where it is needed most”.

Senator Rehman said 72pc of the women in many rural communities spent up to three-quarters of their day collecting water and managing household water needs, a burden worsened by climate-induced scarcity.

“These women are carrying the heaviest burdens of climate change long before disasters make headlines. They are walking longer distances for water, managing shrinking resources, coping with declining agricultural productivity and ensuring the survival of their families,” she said.

Calling this the “scarcity century”, she said climate change was driving interconnected challenges in water, food, agriculture, health and economic security.

She recalled the 2022 floods that submerged one-third of Pakistan, noting that more than 650,000 pregnant women were affected. Many struggled to access healthcare, and some were forced to give birth in boats.

“When a woman experiences a climate catastrophe, the impacts extend across every dimension of her life. Women face heightened risks of displacement, exploitation, violence, and economic insecurity, yet they continue to hold families together and lead recovery efforts,” she said.

Sherry Rehman said women were not merely victims but among the most effective responders. “The battle is already being fought in villages, farms, households, and communities across Pakistan. Women are heroes of change,” she added.

Warning of intensifying impacts, Senator Rehman said parts of southern Pakistan were increasingly seeing temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius.

“Heat waves, water scarcity, changing rainfall patterns, and declining crop yields are no longer future risks. They are today’s realities.”

She described women’s care work as one of the country’s most under-recognised contributions to social and economic development.

“Much of their labour remains undocumented, uncompensated and undervalued. Yet they continue to nurture families, sustain livelihoods, and strengthen community resilience,” Ms Rehman said.

Urging governments, development institutions and civil society to back women-led solutions, she said: “We must continue to invest in women who are searching for solutions, even when they do not know where to find opportunities. Women are the custodians of community resilience.”

More than 350 applications were received this year, underscoring the scale and diversity of women’s contributions to climate resilience and environmental protection across the country.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador of France Nicolas Galey said the award primarily aimed to recognise grassroots efforts by Pakistani women working under challenging conditions to address climate change.

Two winners were selected following a competitive process. Zillay Mariam was recognised for her work in green enterprise and innovative solutions for plastic and organic waste management, while Songul Jamal was honoured for her efforts in protecting fragile coral ecosystems.

The ambassador reaffirmed continued international support for Pakistan’s climate initiatives, with a particular focus on gender equality, inclusivity and community-driven solutions.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026