Pacific women must receive greater recognition and direct access to climate finance as the region prepares for the upcoming COP31 climate conference, according to a new publication highlighting their role in strengthening community resilience.

Fiji’s Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, has joined Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo and UN Women Representative Alison Davidian in calling for international climate commitments to deliver practical support to women and vulnerable communities across the Pacific.

The publication highlights how women continue to play a central role in responding to climate challenges, including safeguarding food and water supplies, caring for families, supporting disaster recovery and helping communities adapt to changing conditions.

However, much of their work remains underrecognised and inadequately funded, raising concerns about whether existing climate assessments and financing mechanisms fully reflect the realities faced by women on the ground.

The publication emphasises the gap between recognising climate-related challenges and ensuring funding reaches the people responding to them.

As Fiji and other Pacific nations prepare for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, the call is for women’s knowledge, experiences and needs to be incorporated into climate planning, with international climate finance reaching the communities already leading adaptation efforts.