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IGAD challenges women MPs to lead in climate action

IGAD challenges women MPs to lead in climate action
IGAD Deputy Executive Secretary Mohamed Abdi Ware speaking in Machakos, Nairobi. PHOTO/@IGADsecretariat/X

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called upon women parliamentarians to lead in advancing gender-responsive land governance and climate resilience across member states.

Speaking during the conclusion of the  Regional Dialogue with Women Parliamentarians and Duty Bearers on Gender, Land, and Climate Resilience on July 11, 2025,  IGAD Deputy Executive Secretary Mohamed Abdi Ware urged them to transform the commitments made during the forum into measurable progress.

“The future we envision, where every woman in our region can claim her rightful place as a steward of the land and a leader in climate resilience, begins with the commitments you make today and the actions you take tomorrow,” he stated

The three-day dialogue held in Machakos from July 9, 2025, to July 11, 2025, brought together women parliamentarians drawn from across six member states, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Further, he announced that IGAD will roll out a structured engagement framework within 60 days to maintain momentum and support implementation.

Similarly, he stated that each member state is expected to set up national coordination mechanisms linked to the regional platform tracked through quarterly virtual meetings and annual summits, using gender-responsive indicators to ensure accountability.

 “We will monitor implementation through gender-responsive indicators, ensuring accountability not just to ourselves but to the women whose lives depend on our success,” he added.

The Ethiopian Women Parliamentarians at the Regional Dialogue with Women Parliamentarians and Duty Bearers on Gender, Land, and Climate Resilience on July 10, 2025. PHOTO/@IGADsecretariat/X

The Dialogue

IGAD, through its Land Governance Unit, convened the regional dialogue aiming to promote inclusive policy dialogue and regional collaboration to accelerate secure land rights and gender-responsive climate action.

The Regional Dialogue on Gender, Land, and Climate Resilience is the culmination of a series of six national dialogue meetings conducted across the six member states.

The Regional Dialogue with Women Parliamentarians and Duty Bearers on Gender, Land, and Climate Resilience opening on July 9, 2025. PHOTO/@IGADsecretariat/X

These national-level consultations brought together women parliamentary leaders, including members of key parliamentary committees on land, natural resources, climate change, and agriculture, as well as representatives from Women Parliamentarians’ Associations and national land institutions.

These dialogues aimed to strengthen the capacity of women parliamentarians to effectively champion gender issues within their legislative and oversight roles, particularly in the context of land governance and climate resilience.

 Through these engagements, participants identified priority policy issues, highlighted persistent challenges, and proposed actionable points.

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