Context/Introduction

The project titled "Fostering Dialogue and Partnership for Climate Action in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia" was implemented by The Nature Conservancy. The project aimed to build local resilience to climate-related crises and impacts through targeted networking, context-specific capacity-building, and peer-to-peer learning with local women’s groups (McLeod et al., 2018).

Approaches and Strategies

Two women's learning exchange workshops were conducted in October 2020 and March 2021, coinciding with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and International Women's Day. These workshops provided a platform for women to connect with government stakeholders and develop workplans for sustainable initiatives (McLeod et al., 2018).

Key Strategies:

• Targeted Networking: Facilitating connections between local women’s groups and government stakeholders.

• Capacity-Building Workshops: Providing training on climate change concepts, project management, and ecosystem-based adaptation.

• Workplan Development: Helping women’s groups create actionable workplans for climate resilience projects.

Practical Tips

• Create Safe Spaces for Women: Ensure that workshops and meetings are women-only or provide specific sessions for women to speak freely.

• Provide Practical Training: Focus on hands-on training in project management, climate change adaptation, and ecosystem-based practices.

• Encourage Peer-to-Peer Learning: Facilitate knowledge exchange between women’s groups to build confidence and share best practices.

• Support Resource Needs: Provide necessary resources such as gardening tools, seeds, and training materials to implement climate resilience projects.

Limitations

• COVID-19 Restrictions: The pandemic posed challenges to organizing in-person events and required stringent health and safety measures.

• Cultural Norms: Deeply embedded patriarchal norms sometimes hindered women’s full participation.

• Funding Constraints: Limited financial resources restricted the scale of support and the number of participants.