Pakistan’s Gender Climate Awards 2025 Spotlight Women Driving Climate Solutions

June 24, 2025

A group of professionals standing together on stage at a conference, smiling.

As climate risks intensify across Pakistan, women are not only among the most affected — they are also leading some of the most impactful solutions. From sustainable agriculture and clean energy to climate journalism and community resilience, women across the country are redefining what climate leadership looks like on the ground.

To affirm the central role of women in climate resilience, the Gender Climate Awards 2025 were co-hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Embassy of France, the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, the Aga Khan Foundation, UN Women, and the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change. The ceremony was held in Islamabad and attended by senior government officials, international partners, youth leaders, and members of the media.

Aisha Khan, CEO of the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC), opened the ceremony by thanking the Embassy of France and partner organisations for their collaboration in bringing GCA 2025 to life. She reaffirmed civil society’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender-responsive climate action in Pakistan — boldly and ambitiously.

Now in its third edition, the Gender Climate Awards have emerged as more than a celebration of individual achievement — they serve as a national platform for visibility, credibility, and change. UNDP’s continued support to the initiative aligns with its broader mandate to scale gender-just climate governance through the Nationally Determined Contribution Investment Plan, gender-responsive public finance, and inclusive recovery efforts

A national call for applications drew 275 submissions from across the country — 211 under the Climate Action category and 64 in Climate Journalism. After a rigorous selection process by an independent jury, the 2025 awards were conferred upon Anusha Fatima (Climate Action) and Aisha Farrukh (Climate Journalism) for their outstanding contributions to community-led climate solutions and impactful storytelling, respectively.

A group of people on stage holding a large check at a formal event. — Anusha Fatima receiving her award in the Climate Action category.

A group of people stands on a stage holding a large check, celebrating an achievement. — Aisha Farrukh receiving her award in the Climate Journalism category.

The ceremony featured two panel discussions. The first brought together representatives from partner organizations — including UNDP, PPAF, UN Women, and the Aga Khan Foundation — who reflected on how institutional strategies are evolving to embed gender equality across climate systems. The second panel gathered this year’s winners alongside past GCA recipients to share lessons from the field and the lived realities of women navigating the frontlines of environmental change. Insights from UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative Van Nguyen highlighted how climate risks are experienced through the everyday labour of women — from water collection and energy use to caregiving during crises — and that these systems must be reimagined with equity at the core.

In his closing reflections, UNDP Resident Representative Dr. Samuel Rizk underscored that climate shocks are not only environmental events — they also compound existing inequalities. Disruptions to education, rising early marriage rates, and the erosion of safety nets disproportionately affect women and girls, particularly in crisis-prone regions. He emphasized that true resilience requires more than rebuilding infrastructure — it demands transforming the systems that shape women’s lives, so they can lead their own recovery and future.

Representing France, Ambassador Nicolas Galey reaffirmed his country’s commitment to inclusive climate cooperation, positioning the Awards as a signal of shared global responsibility and as an initiative aligned with France’s broader climate and gender priorities in Pakistan.

Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, Minister of State for Climate Change, delivered closing remarks and presented the winners with awards and cash prizes, applauding their exceptional contributions. She commended the Embassy of France and partner organisations for spotlighting women’s leadership nationwide. Emphasising the pivotal role of women in transforming societies and strengthening resilience, she reaffirmed the government’s full support in taking this agenda forward and ensuring its sustainability.

This year’s Awards coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, underscoring global and national commitments to inclusive, gender-responsive climate action.

As Pakistan strengthens its climate architecture, the Gender Climate Awards reinforce a vital message: resilience is strongest when it is inclusive by design. Recognizing women not only as stakeholders, but as solution-builders, is essential to forging a greener, fairer, and more sustainable future.