LocationsA new generation of women leaders influencing climate decisions across Asia and the Pacific
When young women step into the policymaking space
March 8, 2026
Members of the Regional Youth Parliament on Climate Action (RYPCA), an initiative established by YECAP, UNDP, UN Women (through the EmPower Programme jointly implemented with UNEP), UNICEF, Climate Parliament, The Earth, and the World Assembly of Youth, with support from Sweden.
Photo: UNDP
Young women across Asia and the Pacific are stepping forward to shape climate action. They are building networks, influencing policies, and speaking up in spaces where their voices were once rarely heard. Yet research shows that 58% of women are positioned “Outside the Room”, reflecting persistent structural barriers to formal decision-making spaces. Despite these inequalities, they continue to advance rights, justice, and real action at the grassroots level for communities facing the impacts of climate change.
To mark International Women’s Day, UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Director of the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub Beate Trankmann met with Amira Aisya from Malaysia and Dikshya Subedi from Nepal. Their conversation highlights the courage, urgency, and determination of young women working to influence climate governance across the region.
Beate Trankmann, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Director at UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and AnnaMaria Oltorp, Head of the Development Cooperation Section, Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok engaging with young climate leaders during the Climate Governance Report Launch in Bangkok.
Photo: UNDP
Understanding the corridors of power
For Amira Aisya, climate leadership means understanding how decisions are made, and how young people can influence them.
Amira is the State Legislative Assemblywoman for Puteri Wangsa in Johor, Malaysia and member of the Regional Youth Parliament on Climate Action (RYPCA), a platform established by UNDP and partners through YECAP with support from Sweden that connects youth with climate policy processes.
Through this experience, she has learned that meaningful participation goes far beyond simply being invited into the rooms. Discussions are often dominated by older and more established actors, meaning women have to work harder to be heard and taken seriously.
Amira Aisya from Malaysia, Kenley Kenneth from Palau, and Dikshya Subedi from Nepal participating in a climate policy group discussion.
Photo: UNDP
“Young people are already present in decision-making spaces,” she explained. “But to create real influence, we need to understand the context of power and how decisions are shaped.”
This understanding of political systems has formed Amira’s own work in the legislative assembly. She successfully lobbied for the creation of the Executive Committee on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management. Although she introduced the motion, she strategically allowed the ruling government to take ownership of it, prioritizing the establishment of a formal climate governance mechanism over personal recognition.
“People often think policy is about statistics and numbers,” she said. “But what really moves decision-makers are the real stories of people whose lives are affected by climate change.”
Her experience shows how young leaders, especially women, can work strategically within institutions to translate advocacy into tangible policy outcomes.
Listening through the lens of youth
In Nepal, Dikshya Subedi is working to ensure young people are not only heard but actively included in climate action.
As a climate activist with six years of experience in policy advocacy, Dikshya has contributed to Nepal’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from NDC 2.0 to 3.0. Her sustained engagement in national consultations, along with her role as a national focal point for the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY), has built trust with policymakers and created channels for her peers to contribute insights to climate discussions.
“Young people want their voices not only written into documents,” she said. “We want them to be implemented so our problems can actually be solved.”
For Dikshya, youth participation should be institutionalized rather than symbolic so they can help shape and implement climate solutions.
Dikshya Subedi from Nepal sharing her experience during the Regional Youth Parliament on Climate Action Dialogue.
Photo: UNDP
The urgency of climate action is deeply personal in Nepal, where floods, landslides, and melting glaciers are affecting lives.
“Time is running out,” she said. “If governments recognize our energy and knowledge, we can work together to tackle climate change.”
She also encourages women who want to work in this field not to wait for permission to lead, but to start speaking up about the issues that matter to their communities.
Young women shaping the future
Amira and Dikshya represent a new generation of climate leaders turning youth participation into real policy wins. They are navigating institutions, mobilizing communities, and influencing policies while inspiring other young women to step forward. When young women enter decision-making spaces, they challenge male-dominated norms and create opportunities for more gender-responsive policies.
Dikshya, Amira, and Asia-Pacific youth exchanging knowledge with Katie Bimson, an expert in nature-based solutions from the IUCN Asia Regional Office.
Photo: UNDP
Through initiatives like RYPCA, under the growing ambition of UNDP’s Youth Moonshot, over 4,000 young people in Asia-Pacific are gaining the knowledge, networks, and confidence to transform the future.
As Beate Trankmann reflected during the conversation, the energy and determination of young people can accelerate the urgent climate action the world needs.
This International Women’s Day is a reminder that when young women’s voices are heard and their initiative supported, they can drive change at scale. Long-term investment is essential to creating more meaningful and impactful participation, especially for youth from underrepresented backgrounds.
Learn more in the report, Navigating Climate Governance: Insights from Young Leaders in the Asia-Pacific Region here.