Antigua and Barbuda advocates for gender-responsive climate finance at UN forum

Antigua and Barbuda has called for stronger alignment between gender equality and climate finance during discussions at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Director of the Directorate of Gender Affairs, Jamie Saunders, made the case while addressing a side event at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, where the country was represented by a high-level delegation.

Speaking during a panel on Advancing Climate Justice through Gender-Responsive Climate Finance, Saunders emphasized that the effects of climate change are not experienced equally and often place greater burdens on women, particularly in vulnerable communities.

“Women—particularly rural women, single-parent households, and women in informal economic sectors—often experience disproportionate impacts and face greater barriers in accessing resources, financing, and decision-making,” Saunders said.

He explained that Antigua and Barbuda has integrated gender responsiveness into its national climate policies, including the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

According to Saunders, the government is prioritising initiatives that increase the number of women-led businesses implementing renewable energy and climate adaptation solutions, support women’s economic recovery after extreme weather events, and promote greater female participation in sectors traditionally dominated by men, such as energy and construction.

He also highlighted the Sustainable Island Resource Framework Fund (SIRF Fund), established under the Environmental Protection and Management Act of 2019 and administered by the Department of Environment.

Through its blended finance window, the fund helps expand access to climate-related investment for women-led enterprises, ensuring women are not only beneficiaries of climate action but also active drivers of climate solutions.

Saunders further outlined programmes aimed at strengthening community resilience, supporting women’s leadership in agriculture and climate adaptation, and expanding training and outreach in vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Housing and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Shenella Govia, described her participation in the Commission on the Status of Women as a meaningful and rewarding experience.

Govia said it was important for Antigua and Barbuda to stand alongside other nations to share progress and collaborate on solutions to accelerate gender equality worldwide.

“This only reinforces the importance of working together to advance gender equality for women and girls everywhere,” Govia said. “I am especially proud of our delegation whose active participation in the discussions will help inform and strengthen our policies and initiatives in Antigua and Barbuda.”

Other members of the Antigua and Barbuda delegation included Minister of Social and Urban Transformation Rawdon Turner, Permanent Secretary Sarah Stuart, and Project Officer at the Directorate of Gender Affairs Ashlea James.