In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Commission for the Advancement of Women in Laos and the Lao Women’s Union, the U.S. government sponsored a workshop from September 8 to 10 on gender integration in climate change and forestry.
The workshop aims to educate staff from the Departments of Forestry and Forest Management about incorporating women’s unique perspectives into development strategies. Staff members from the National Commission for the Advancement of Women (NCAW) within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, who previously participated in trainings sponsored by USAID LEAF’s Asia-Pacific Leadership Program on Gender and Climate Change/REDD+ initiative facilitated the workshop.
Anastasia Kolivas, Representative from the U.S. Embassy, Vientiane, said during her opening remarks at the workshop, “USAID has been an avid supporter of including women in development programs and initiatives around the world, including our Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forest (LEAF) program in Laos… The USAID LEAF project works to help ensure that women and under-represented groups are incorporated into all stages of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and have distinct roles in natural resources management and other climate change activities.”
The U.S. government has provided more than 100,000 USD over the past year in support of a series of both country-specific and regional gender and climate change focused trainings under the Asia-Pacific Leadership Program on Gender and Climate Change/REDD+ initiative.
