During the BIOFIN Pacific Programme Inception Workshop, a plenary session titled “Insights from Pacific Global Environment Facility (GEF) Operational Focal Points: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities” shed light on the lived experiences of GEF focal points in the Pacific, many of them women, who are driving national environmental and biodiversity agendas in their countries.

What emerged during the session was more than a technical exchange, and rather it was a testament to the leadership, resilience, and vision of Pacific women stewarding environmental finance in complex local, national, and global systems.

Voices of Experience and Change

At the heart of the conversation was Nenenteiti Ruatu, Director of Environment and Conservation and GEF Operational Focal Point for Kiribati. With two decades of experience, Ruatu candidly described the challenges of being a GEF focal point without a dedicated budget.  

"Our roles are official, but they come without resources. We are unpaid maintenance women," she said, describing the invisible labour required to convene stakeholders, track GEF project progress, and translate global frameworks into local action.

Despite Kiribati’s recent GEF-8 allocation of nearly US$29 million, she raised critical questions: How can countries without sufficient capacity manage increasingly complex and sizable portfolios? And more importantly, how can we ensure these funds meet the real priorities of Pacific communities, such as health, resilience, and food security, when they often fall outside traditional “environment” definitions?

Ruatu’s reflections highlight a key opportunity for the BIOFIN platform, to not just decode the mechanics of biodiversity finance, but to help countries create their own financing pathways that reflect the needs and values of their people.

Navigating Cultural and Gender Dimensions

Moriana Phillip, a 20-year veteran of the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ environmental sector and current GEF focal point, offered a deep dive into the cultural and gendered landscape of Pacific resource management. Coming from a matrilineal society, she emphasized the need for inclusive consultations and cultural fluency when designing environmental projects.  

“The land and sea are owned by the people, not the government,” she reminded the room.

“We must make sure the community’s voice, not just those in decision-making roles, is reflected in how GEF projects are developed and delivered.”

Phillip noted that even for her, navigating GEF’s technical language can be daunting.  

“We have to break it down into concepts that communities understand. Only then can we ensure no one is left behind, not women, not children, not youth, not the elders.”

Gender as a Value, Not a Gap

For Dean Launder from Vanuatu, while he doesn’t serve as the primary GEF focal point, his work with BIOFIN and his team’s gender-forward approach offers a hopeful lens.  

“In our communities, it’s often the women who submit the proposals. They see environmental protection as an extension of their role caring for the family and the land.”  

Vanuatu, he said, has women in ministerial and traditional leadership roles, showing that gender inclusion is not a new agenda, it’s embedded in daily life, but needs continued support and recognition in financial mechanisms.

Similarly, Crispina Konelio of Niue, who stepped into the focal point role via project leadership, shared her personal journey navigating political dynamics, funding delays, and communication gaps. She called for stronger linkages between strategies and more technical support from partners, emphasizing that Pacific voices, when united, can shape donor responsiveness and funding flexibility.

Call for Inclusivity

A common thread across the plenary was the call for inclusivity - not only in terms of gender but also geography, age, and governance structures. Several panelists noted that only a few Pacific countries are consistently involved in shaping GEF guidance and financial negotiations. Others are left to interpret and implement frameworks that don’t always fit their realities.

Elisabeth Munro from the Cook Islands urged for greater integration between GEF focal points and climate change negotiators, many of whom operate from different ministries. “If we work in silos, we lose opportunities,” she said, advocating for a more unified Pacific voice in global environmental finance spaces.

The session closed with a resonant message: the impact of Pacific women leaders may not always be reflected in the size of the funds they manage, but it is seen in how deeply they embed equity, tradition, and strategy into every decision.  

The BIOFIN platform offers a promising space to amplify these voices, equip them with the tools they need, and ensure that financing the environment also means financing fairness, access, and shared futures.

For more information, please contact:

Risiate Biudole, Communications Analyst, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, risiate.biudole@undp.org