On Monday 1 April, QUNO New York partnered with The Asia Foundation to host a workshop on Engaging with the United Nations (UN) System for the inaugural cohort of The Asia Foundation’s Pacific Women Climate Leaders, a program which aims to empower Pacific women to drive climate action in their communities. 

The Pacific Women Climate Leaders spent an enriching day at Quaker House, where they had the opportunity to learn from senior UN officials, as well as diplomats from Small Island Developing States and the Pacific region, who discussed their governments’ foreign policy priorities and shared advocacy points among island nations, many of whose existence is threatened by the impacts of climate change.  

QUNO New York staff also shared insights and strategies for engaging with the UN System. They were joined remotely by colleagues from QUNO Geneva, who discussed their experiences of participating in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, which aim to address human impacts on the climate system.  

Hailing from Tonga, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Women Climate Leaders also had the opportunity to network with the newly arrived Fellows from the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS), building new connections and discussing their work in environmental science, gender empowerment, and climate action. 

Partnering with The Asia Foundation to host the Pacific Women Climate Leaders connects to QUNO’s role in amplifying voices from the grassroots level to impact policymaking at the UN, providing skills and opportunities which enable people to successfully advocate for themselves and their communities.  

As the Pacific Women Climate Leaders program enters its second year, QUNO looks forward to continuing this new partnership with The Asia Foundation. Strengthening connections between UN headquarters and those impacted by its decisions is crucial for advancing sustainable development and climate action.