NEW YORK, March 14, 2026 — Antigua and Barbuda's Director of the Directorate of Gender Affairs, Jamie Saunders, delivered a forceful appeal at a United Nations forum this week, calling for gender equality to be fully integrated into global climate finance ambitions.
Saunders served as a senior member of the national delegation at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW80). As Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to push for greater climate finance commitments, he made clear that climate change is not a gender-neutral issue.
He spoke during a side event focused on Advancing Climate Justice through Gender-Responsive Climate Finance, using the platform to outline government policy and argue that inclusive climate financing can be a powerful driver of gender equality.
"Women — particularly rural women, single-parent households, and women in informal economic sectors — often experience disproportionate impacts and face greater barriers in accessing resources, financing, and decision-making," Saunders said.
He highlighted several areas where Antigua and Barbuda is demonstrating leadership. Gender responsiveness, he noted, is embedded in the country's climate governance architecture and its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Among the priorities are increasing the number of women-led businesses implementing renewable energy and climate adaptation solutions, supporting women's economic recovery following extreme weather events, and promoting gender-responsive transitions in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as energy and construction.
Saunders also pointed to the Sustainable Island Resource Framework Fund (SIRF Fund), established under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (2019) and administered by the Department of Environment, as a key mechanism. "Through mechanisms such as its blended finance window, the fund helps expand access to climate-related investment for women-led businesses and enterprises, ensuring women are not only beneficiaries but also drivers of climate solutions," he explained.
He further detailed initiatives aimed at strengthening community resilience, supporting women's leadership in agriculture and climate adaptation, and expanding training and outreach across vulnerable communities.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Housing and Leader of Government Business in the Senate, the Hon. Shenella Govia, described her participation in CSW80 as a meaningful experience. She underscored the importance of Antigua and Barbuda standing alongside other nations to share progress and collectively pursue solutions for gender equality.
"This only reinforces the importance of working together to advance gender equality for women and girls everywhere. I am especially proud of our delegation whose active participation in the discussions will help inform and strengthen our policies and initiatives in Antigua and Barbuda," Minister Govia said.
The delegation also included Minister of Social and Urban Transformation the Hon. Rawdon Turner, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation Sarah Stuart, and Project Officer of the Directorate of Gender Affairs Ashlea Thomas.
