Feminist Participatory Action Research - Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

The aim of the Climate Justice Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) is to develop the capacity of grassroots women to author evidence-based community research on the impacts of climate change and be vocal and effective policy advocates for climate justice, human rights and just development.

Fast facts:

Nine young women researchers have been appointed by the programme, as well as 9 mentors;
Eighteen women have directly benefited from the programme;
For example, in Vietnam, 60 women have been trained to cope with natural disasters and climate change aiming at their integration in their village rapid response teams.

The problem

Women play a critical role in coping with climate change impacts but are often excluded in decision making processes on climate related decisions.

The solution

The programme has been supporting nine grassroots feminist organisations in eight Asia Pacific countries. One of the strategies of the programme consists in providing the organisation with a small grant to employ a young woman researcher who will carry out research and develop an advocacy plan in collaboration with other women in the community. By placing women as researchers and experts, this activity hopes to promote women in policy dialogue, including women's own needs and solutions at the local and national levels. FPAR also provides leadership training and shares knowledge on international human rights framework, basic climate change information, current status of climate negotiations and building research and advocacy skills.

Helping the planet

Women involved with this activity are shaping climate change policy, helping their communities adapt to natural disasters, taking part in decision-making processes regarding the management of forest resources, studying how climate change is changing traditional domestic roles and lifestyles and are educating their communities about climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Helping people

This FPAR project aims to support grassroots women to build their own evidence, voice and networks to ensure that women in communities most affected by climate change are able to shape policies at the local, national and international levels. The principal purpose of FPAR is to change systems and structures in order to improve the lives of marginalised women. It facilitates a democratic, non-hierarchical mutual learning process as part of struggle for social transformation. The participants are not objects on whom research is conducted but rather the subjects of the inquiry who set the agenda, participate in the data collection and analysis, and control the use of the outcomes, including deciding what future actions and direction to take.

Scaling Up

The FPAR programme is a general framework that aims to challenge systems and structures to improve the lives of marginalised women. It allows grassroots women to build their capacity in order to shape policies that determine their lives and future. It allows decision-making bodies to recognise women as critical actors of change and involve them in their processes. By appointing two young women researchers per community, the FPAR programme could reach more beneficiaries in the community and provide more activities that allow local changes and response to climate change.