French embassy announces Pakistan Gender Climate Award 2024 winners

Source: The Nation

ISLAMABAD - To celebrate the Inter­national Women's Day, the Embassy of France and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Union Delegation, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, the United Nations Devel­opment Programme (UNDP), and the Civil Society Coalition for Cli­mate Change (CSCCC), yesterday announced the winners of the sec­ond edition of the Gen­der Climate Award. The objective of the award is to highlight wom­en's commitment and leadership in the fight against climate change under three categories: climate action, green business, and young cli­mate journalism.

The proud winners of the Pakistan Gender Climate Award 2024 are: Qandeel Rehman, (Climate Action), Um­breen Arif (Green Busi­ness), and Khalida Niaz (Young Climate Journal­ism). Each winner will receive PKR 1.2 million to advance their activ­ity and use the funds to deepen the gender climate nexus in their area of work.

The Pakistan Gender Climate Award 2024 seeks to shine a light on Pakistani women and recognize their leader­ship and contribution as equal partners in change. The dynamic and resourceful wom­en of Pakistan work in diverse fields ranging from civil society to academia, science to media, business and be­yond. The award is de­signed to highlight the fact that climate change is not gender neutral. It impacts women and girls disproportionate­ly, amplifying existing inequalities. With stark disparities in oppor­tunity and access, cli­mate change can have a negative impact on women's livelihoods, as well as their health and well-being. The critical contribution of women in agriculture and man­agement of natural re­sources makes it imper­ative to optimize their potential in the fight against climate change.

Quote by Aisha Khan, Executive Director, Civil Society Coalition for Cli­mate Change (CSCCC)

"Women are the fu­ture changemakers. They adapt, conserve and nurture. Their ca­pacities and key roles have not always been recognized due to so­cial and cultural con­straints. It is time now to give visibility to their strengths and use their knowledge and skills to navigate the climate cri­sis. Investing in women today will brighten all our tomorrows."

A nation-wide call for applications was launched under the three categories to at­tract a broad array of applicants. Applica­tions were screened by a jury comprising of representatives from the Embassy of France, AFD, the EU Delega­tion, UNDP, and CSCCC. The award ceremony will take place on 8 May 2024 to honor the winners.