On November 19, 2025 the Center of Excellence on Gender-smart Solutions, together with the Global Shield against Climate Risks and Oxford Policy Management, hosted the COP30 side event titled Making Climate Risk Finance Work for Women and Communities in the Pacific at the Moana Pacific Pavilion. The event brought together policymakers, development partners, and regional experts to examine how climate and disaster risk finance and insurance (CDRFI) can better serve women and vulnerable communities across Pacific Island Countries.
The side event was moderated by Dr. Bimal Regmi, a Senior Consultant in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management at Oxford Policy Management Nepal. The session focused on highlighting the gendered impacts of climate shocks, persistent gaps in women’s access to financial and insurance products, and opportunities for inclusive financial solutions that empower women and strengthen community level resilience.
A keynote presentation was delivered by Leba Guanavinaka, the Adaptation Lead at the Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Environment Government of Fiji and key consultant for the Global Shield’s gender analysis in the Pacific together with Dr. Regmi. Their presentation set the stage by outlining how existing gender inequalities continue to shape access to climate risk finance and insurance and why addressing these gaps is essential for building resilience. Findings from the gender analysis were particularly stark for rural and maritime communities in Fiji where women face significant barriers to accessing climate risk finance and insurance.
The presentation of the gender analysis findings was followed by a panel discussion that brought together perspectives from government representatives, implementing organizations, and regional experts. The panel featured Elaine Sharma, a Finance and Development Professional from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Government of Fiji; Yabanex Batista, Deputy Director of the UN Global Fund for Coral Reefs at UNCDF; and Kunal Singh, Regional Climate Finance Advisor at the Pacific Community. Together the panelists explored how gender responsive approaches to climate risk finance can move from policy commitments to tangible results on the ground. Discussions underscored how women and other vulnerable groups remain disproportionately exposed to climate shocks and the potential for climate and disaster risk finance and insurance to strengthen financial resilience in the Pacific.
The session concluded with a forward looking discussion on the actions governments donors and practitioners can take to improve the inclusion of women and vulnerable groups in climate and disaster risk finance and insurance initiatives. The event closed with a video message from Global Affairs Canada in which Andrew Hurst, the Executive Director of Climate Finance at Global Affairs Canada, highlighted Canada’s commitment to gender equality and social inclusion and support of the Centre of Excellence on Gender-smart solutions. Panelists emphasized the need for structural changes that enable women to participate not only as beneficiaries but as co-designers and decision makers in climate risk finance strategies. Overall the COP 30 side event reinforced that gender responsive and inclusive approaches are essential to building resilient systems that protect livelihoods, empower women, and ensure that climate risk finance delivers lasting impact for all.
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