Climate Collaboration Champions Change: Gender, Governance, and Growth in Isiolo and Marsabit

NGEC, Swedish Embassy and IDLO Partner to Empower Marginalised Voices in Gender-Responsive Climate and Peace Initiatives

The Isiolo Regional Office played host to a pivotal meeting that underscores the growing intersection between climate action, human rights, and inclusive governance in Kenya’s arid northern counties. Madam Hanna Carlsson, First Secretary for Human Rights & Democracy at the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi, together with Madam Tareza Mugadza, Kenya Country Director of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), convened stakeholders to forge a united front in championing gender-responsive climate action and peacebuilding efforts across Isiolo and Marsabit.

These counties, home to approximately 45% of Kenya’s Special Interest Groups—including women, youth, persons with disabilities (PWDs), minorities, and other marginalised communities —face systemic barriers to access and inclusion. The joint initiative emphasises embedding inclusive climate governance frameworks that ensure all voices are heard, rights upheld, and equitable participation guaranteed.

The approach aligns with broader global commitments recognising climate justice not merely as an environmental challenge but fundamentally a human rights and equality imperative.

“The climate crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, yet these groups often remain excluded from decision-making processes,” noted Madam Carlsson during the event. “Our mission is to support local authorities in designing policies that are transparent, accountable, and truly representative of everyone’s needs.”

Madam Mugadza echoed these sentiments, highlighting the crucial role of the rule of law and community engagement in sustainable peacebuilding and climate resilience. “Empowering Special Interest Groups ensures that climate adaptation strategies are effective and just, fostering stability in regions historically affected by conflict and marginalisation.”

This collaboration seeks to dismantle existing socioeconomic and cultural barriers through accessible information dissemination, participatory policy development, and capacity building tailored to local realities. By doing so, it aims to secure climate governance that reflects fairness, accountability, and collective responsibility at all levels.

The significance of this partnership lies in its focus on actionable inclusivity—ensuring that climate policies are not just drafted but implemented with active involvement from those most impacted. This represents a critical step forward for Kenya’s climate agenda, particularly in vulnerable northern regions where environmental degradation intersects with entrenched social inequities.

Isiolo Regional Office Staff pose for a photo with delegates from Human Rights & Democracy, Embassy of Sweden, Nairobi, and IDLO’s Kenya