Pakistan Gender Climate Award 2026 Celebrates Women Leading Climate Action
Islamabad – 4 June 2026 (Adnan Hameed) : The fourth edition of the Pakistan Gender Climate Award (GCA) culminated in an awards ceremony at a local Hotel, in Islamabad, recognizing two exceptional women leaders for their contributions to climate action and environmental stewardship. The 2026 edition attracted a record 352 applications from across Pakistan, reflecting the growing momentum of women-led climate initiatives nationwide.
Established by the Embassy of France in 2023, the Pakistan Gender Climate Award celebrates women whose leadership, innovation, and commitment are helping communities confront climate challenges, strengthen resilience, and advance sustainable development. Since its inception, the initiative has recognized ten women climate champions, providing visibility, support, and inspiration for women driving climate solutions across the country.
The 2026 Gender Climate Award was presented to Dr. Zillay Mariam Sohail for her pioneering work in transforming waste into sustainable value chains and promoting circular economy solutions, and to Songul Jamal for her leadership in marine ecosystem conservation and environmental awareness among coastal communities, says press note. Each awardee received a cash prize of PKR 1 million in recognition of their achievements and impact.
The ceremony was attended by distinguished representatives from government, development partners, civil society, academia, media, and the diplomatic community.
In her Opening keynote, Senator Sherry Rehman highlighted the critical role of women in addressing climate challenges and advancing resilient development pathways. She pointed out that, “Women are not only effected by climate change but also play a key role in responding to it and despite social and economic challenges lead emergency response and recovery efforts to drive positive change.”
Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Aisha Moriani, commended the Embassy of France and partner organizations for championing women’s leadership in climate action. “The role of women is very visible in society. Women are participating very actively to address the integrated challenges of climate change and are not just facing the impact but are part of the solution,” she said.
The event featured two panel discussions, moderated by Ambassador Nadeem Riyaz and senior journalist Arifa Noor, senior journalist at Dawn, exploring opportunities, challenges, and pathways for strengthening women’s participation in climate leadership and decision-making across Pakistan.
In his inaugural address, Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of France to Pakistan, emphasized the importance of recognizing and investing in women as agents of climate resilience and sustainable development. He stated that “France’s foreign policy set at the fore front of its action both the promotion of gender equality and climate action. We were one of the first countries to enact a feminist diplomacy in 2019. Our 2025/2030 strategy of feminist diplomacy clearly acknowledges that climate change and related disasters disproportionately affect women.”
Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, underscored the need for inclusive and equitable climate action, adding that, “The women we honor today already know the data, the impact, the statistics, and certainly know the differentiated toll climate change and environmental degradation has on women and girls and the community at the large. In fact, they have already taken action.”
The Pakistan Gender Climate Award is supported by the Embassy of France, the French Development Agency (AFD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), UN Women, and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), and is implemented by the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC).
In her remarks Aisha Khan (CSCCC) said, “As climate risks continue to intensify, the Pakistan Gender Climate Award serves as an important platform for amplifying the voices of women and inspiring a new generation of changemakers working towards a more resilient and sustainable future”.
