Women’s Leadership and Participation in Locally-led Climate Action In Homabay County

WEL works to ensure that women’s voices are central to climate change decision-making and governance. We believe that women, particularly those from marginalized communities, must be at the forefront of climate action. We recognize that climate change affects women disproportionately, yet they are powerful agents of change when given the tools and platforms to lead. Our approach is to strengthen the capacity of women to lead and participate actively in the design, implementation, and evaluation of locally led climate actions, with a strong focus on climate resilience and adaptation.

WEL equips women with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to engage in climate governance, ensuring they are not only participants but also leaders in climate adaptation strategies. By facilitating women’s involvement in local climate committees such as Ward climate Change Planning Committees (WCCPCs) and ensuring they have access to training and technical support. This work goes beyond awareness; it aims to create lasting change by ensuring women influence policy decisions that affect their communities, particularly those related to climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and the preservation of natural ecosystems

We also advocate for the creation and implementation of gender-responsive climate policies, legal frameworks and plans, both at the county, national, and global levels. Some of the frameworks include the Homabay Climate change Act 2022, Amended in 2024 and Gender Action Plan for National Climate Change Action Plan III. These frameworks are critical for ensuring that women’s needs and contributions are recognized within broader climate governance and action.

This advocacy extends to working with stakeholders, including government institutions and financial entities, to make sure that women-led climate adaptation initiatives are prioritized and adequately funded. WEL is committed to advocating for climate finance that directly supports women-led initiatives. We work with financial institutions and policymakers to ensure financial flows at the grassroots and is accessible, sustainable, inclusive and equitable. By helping women access climate finance such as Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLOCA), and Next Level Grant Facility, we enable them to implement the solutions they design, further strengthening their capacity to lead climate adaptation efforts at the local level

WEL seeks to amplify women’s leadership, ensuring they are not only included but are integral to the broader efforts to combat climate change.