LocationsThe gender study was conducted under the Adaptation Fund–financed project 'An Integrated Landscape Approach to Enhancing Climate Resilience in Tajikistan’.
UNDP and the Committee for Environmental Protection Present Gender Study on Climate Change Awareness and Preparedness in Rural Tajikistan
August 5, 2025
Participants of the workshop dedicated to the Gender Study on Climate Change Awareness and Preparedness in Rural Tajikistan.
Nigora Fazliddin/ UNDP Tajikistan
The research was carried out in Khatlon region’s Qubodiyon, Shahrituz, and Nosiri Khusrav districts, and in Fayzabad, Vahdat, and Varzob districts of Republican Subordination.
The main objectives were to assess the quality and adequacy of women’s and men’s access to natural resources, evaluate their awareness and preparedness for climate change and related risks, and understand how communities plan to respond to natural disasters and climate-induced emergencies.
The Gender Study.
Nigora Fazliddin/ UNDP Tajikistan
Mariam Davlatova, a Tajik gender specialist who conducted the research, notes that both women and men have a very limited understanding of the consequences of climate change or how it may affect their lives.
“There is almost no difference between women and men in terms of awareness levels on climate risks, adaptation and mitigation measures,” she explains. “Yet, across all districts, men appear to be more knowledgeable, mentioning specific natural hazards, such as floods, mudflows, landslides, and drought. They proposed solutions like reinforcing riverbanks and digging additional canals to protect agricultural fields. Women, on the other hand, were mostly unable to answer these types of questions — their survey responses were left blank.”
Mariam Davlatova, a Tajik gender specialist.
Nigora Fazliddin/ UNDP Tajikistan
The expert believes, this highlights an extremely low level of awareness among women regarding natural hazards and climate-related risks. Both men and women believe that women’s role is limited to caring for children and the elderly, while problem-solving and mobilization of resources are considered men’s responsibilities in the face of climate-induced emergencies.
According to Davlatova, Women perform 70% of agricultural work, while men contribute 30%. However, only 20% of decision-making in agriculture, land, and water resource management involves women, with men making 80% of these decisions.
“The first step to address is continuous awareness raising and capacity building activities,” she says.
Participants of the workshop.
Nigora Fazliddin/ UNDP Tajikistan
The study findings show that both men and women expressed keen interest in capacity-building sessions.
The roundtable discussion, where the study was presented, further highlighted the need for systemic approaches to gender inclusion, particularly in addressing challenges such as low climate change adaptation literacy and the socio-economic impacts of climate change on livelihoods. By encouraging cross-sector collaboration, the event promoted inclusive climate adaptation strategies, such as ensuring equal access to project resources, recognizing women’s contributions to agriculture, and supporting women’s participation in project activities through childcare and flexible scheduling to overcome existing gender barriers.
Gender Analysis of the Adaptation Fund–Financed Project: “An Integrated Landscape Approach to Enhancing Climate Resilience in Tajikistan.”
Nigora Fazliddin/ UNDP Tajikistan
This event reflects the shared commitment of the Committee for Environmental Protection and UNDP to advance inclusive, gender-responsive climate action in Tajikistan’s most vulnerable regions. Based on the gender research, the project will further solidify partnerships with the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, the Committee for Women and Family Affairs, the Kafernighan River Basin (KRB) Women’s Forum, and women-led civil society organizations, ensuring sustained engagement to tackle gender-related challenges in the KRB.
Media inquiries: Nigora Fazliddin, Communications Analyst, UNDP Tajikistan, nigora.fazliddin@undp.org
