Empowering Women for Climate Resilience: A Call to Action from the Pacific
“By empowering women, we can create climate solutions that are inclusive, sustainable, and community-centred. Our collective resilience depends on listening to and supporting Indigenous women", Lavenia Naivalu.
In the Pacific, where the impacts of climate change are acutely felt, women are stepping forward as leaders in resilience and adaptation efforts. Lavenia Naivalu, a Climate Resilience Advocate and Nacula District Council Member in Fiji, reflects on the essential role women play in addressing these challenges.
Lavenia shared her experiences during a talanoa on ‘Climate Action from the land, sea and space: Traditional knowledge stories of resilience’ with Tagaloa Cooper, from SPREP, Dr George Carter, Australia National University, and Laitia Fifita, Tonga Meterological Director at a COP 29 side event at the Moana Blue Pacific Pavillion in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Women Bear the Brunt of Climate Change
Lavenia shares how climate change disproportionately affects women across Kiribati, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. “As an Indigenous Fijian woman from the small island of Nacula, we are already feeling the impacts of climate change. For the last 20 years, we have faced frequent storms, cyclones, droughts, and flooding. These disruptions threaten our food production, from farming and fishing to foraging, and increase the pressure on women as caregivers and providers.”
She explains how changing rainfall patterns and rising sea temperatures are reducing the availability of traditional food sources like taro, root crops, and fish, directly affecting the ability of women to feed their families. “This not only limits our ability to care for our families but also places additional pressure on us to adapt to these changing conditions.”
We Are Not Just Victims; We Are Agents of Change
Despite the difficulties, women across the Pacific are actively contributing to climate resilience. Lavenia highlights the initiatives led by women in Fiji: “We are restoring mangroves, coral reefs, forests, and coastal habitats. We are also reviving traditional agricultural practices, diversifying crops, and using sustainable fishing methods. These efforts are rooted in our deep understanding of our land, sea, and ecosystems.”
Importantly, these efforts are inclusive: “Our governance systems now involve women in decision-making processes. With the support of men and young people, we are collectively advocating for disaster preparedness and climate adaptation plans that consider our specific needs, such as access to clean water, food security, and health services.”
Lavenia’s leadership has been recognised with the Fiji National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Community Woman Leader Award, Sautu Awards which she sees as a testament to the collective strength of women working together. The Sautu Awards recognises and celebrates the invaluable contributions of women in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience to highlight women's roles in volunteerism, communal care, and humanitarian leadership during natural disasters and climate change. The awards are supported by the Australian Government funded Women’s Resilience to Disasters Programme implemented by UN Women Fiji Multi country office, the Fiji NDMO and the Fiji Council of Social Services.
Our Voices Must Be Heard
Lavenia is passionate about bringing Indigenous women’s perspectives to global platforms, such as COP29 and other international climate conferences. “We, Indigenous women, are often at the frontlines of climate change impacts, yet our voices are still underrepresented in decision-making spaces. This must change. Our knowledge and solutions are essential to solving the climate and biodiversity crises.”
Through forums such as the Oceania First Voices Regional Forum and Fiji’s National Symposium for Community-Led Initiatives, Lavenia and her peers are calling for action from world leaders: “You need us to solve these crises. We are advocating for the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities climate finance agenda to be fair, sustainable, and accessible. These funds must support urgent actions led by our communities to protect our livelihoods.”
A Call to Action
Lavenia outlines key recommendations from the Oceania First Voices Regional Forum:
- “Protect our rights as Indigenous Peoples.” This includes enacting legislation and policies that uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and respect free, prior, and informed consent.
- “Remove barriers to our participation.” Indigenous women and young people need capacity-building initiatives and sustainable support to be part of decision-making processes.
- “Strengthen climate finance for Indigenous communities.” Accessible and equitable financial mechanisms are essential for implementing locally-led climate actions.
As Lavenia concludes, “By empowering women, we can create climate solutions that are inclusive, sustainable, and community-centred. Our collective resilience depends on listening to and supporting Indigenous women.”
Lavenia is being supported at COP 29 by the Australian Government funded Women’s Resilience to Disasters Programme implemented by UN Women Fiji Multi country office.