Gender Inclusion in Environmental Protection: Advancing the Rights of Women and Girls in Climate-Affected Borderlands

Ikran Mohamed Hassan, Marginalized Communities Advocacy Network (Somalia)

This presentation examines the intersection of gender inclusion, environmental protection, and climate change impacts on women and girls in rural, arid regions of northeastern Kenya and the border areas of Somalia and Ethiopia. Climate-induced challenges such as prolonged drought, resource scarcity, and displacement disproportionately affect women and girls, increasing their exposure to protection risks, including gender-based violence and exclusion from decision-making processes. Drawing on field-based experiences and community engagement, the presentation highlights the critical role of women as agents of environmental stewardship and peacebuilding. It advocates for inclusive, gender-responsive climate adaptation strategies that prioritize women’s leadership, strengthen protection systems, and enhance access to resources and services. The session contributes to environmental peacebuilding discourse by emphasizing locally driven, gender-inclusive approaches in fragile and cross-border contexts.