As part of the Global Week of Action and the “Draw the Line” campaign led by the Women & Gender Constituency (WGC), the International Centre for Environmental Health and Development (ICEHD) convened a community dialogue in Lagos, Nigeria, on September 17, 2025, under the theme:
“Grassroots Leadership: Feminist Futures for Climate Justice – Key Messages for COP30.”
The dialogue created a powerful space for women farmers, adolescent girls, community leaders, men, civil society organizations, and government stakeholders to share their lived experiences and co-develop strategies for advancing feminist climate justice. Participants explored the intersection of land rights, gender equality, climate resilience, and cultural transformation, linking grassroots realities to global policy spaces.
At the close of discussions, participants agreed on a set of advocacy priorities to inform Nigeria’s position at COP30 and beyond:
Expand women’s access to green jobs and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Remove bureaucratic bottlenecks hindering women’s access to finance and climate funds.
Guarantee inclusive participation and women’s representation in leadership and climate decision-making.
Secure gender-responsive land reforms and equal inheritance rights, drawing inspiration from countries like Kenya and Rwanda.
Promote transparent inheritance practices to break down cultural and religious barriers to women’s land access.
Drive cultural re-engineering as a pathway to human and social development.
Sustain engagement with men and boys to dismantle harmful social norms and stereotypes.
Ensure equitable access to agricultural resources, including tools, inputs, and financial services, for women farmers.
ICEHD highlighted the importance of placing grassroots women at the center of climate policy:
“Women farmers are not only on the frontlines of the climate crisis, they are central to building solutions. Their leadership and agency must shape the outcomes of COP30 and future climate negotiations.”
The engagement affirmed that achieving climate justice requires gender justice. By amplifying the voices of women farmers and adolescent girls, the dialogue contributed directly to global advocacy efforts, ensuring that grassroots feminist leadership informs transformative climate action.
Photos from the session captured the storytelling, solidarity actions, and the collective statement: “We Draw the Line for Climate Justice.”
