2023 ADB Gender Forum — 2 Billion Changemakers: Women Leading on Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific
21 to 22 November 2023

The 2023 Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Gender Forum: 2 Billion Changemakers – Women Leading on Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific was held from 21-22 November 2023 in Manila, Philippines to inform, influence, and inspire action on gender equality and climate change among stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific.

Around 300+ delegates joined from ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs), government agencies, development partners, the private sector, academia, civil society, the media, and women’s organizations involved in gender equality and climate change. It served as a platform to share and promote best practices on gender mainstreaming in climate-related initiatives, inspire innovation among participants, and advance the transformative nexus between Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5) on gender equality and SDG13 on climate action.

The 2023 ADB Gender Forum presented an opportunity for partners in both the public and private sectors to showcase their thought leadership and initiatives in gender equality, climate change, and other cross-cutting issues. Partners were able to leverage this dynamic event to increase their visibility and engage directly with ADB stakeholders. The forum provided opportunities for engaging with policymakers, economists, government officials, development practitioners, gender equality and climate change experts, and ADB staff to discuss the latest gender-related developments in policies, project implementation, and research, to explore how these advances can accelerate gender equality in the context of climate action in Asia and the Pacific.

The 2023 ADB Gender Forum followed a four-track sequential structure:

  • Theme 1: Women in the Energy Transition
  • Theme 2: Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation
  • Theme 3: Women in the Green Economy
  • Theme 4: Gender-Responsive Private Sector-led Climate Action
Program and Learning Materials
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
7:45 - 9:00 a.m. Registration, Coffee, and Tea
9:00 - 9:40 a.m. Opening of the 2023 ADB Gender Forum
9:00 - 9:40 a.m. Emcees: Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Young Professional, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
9:00 - 9:40 a.m. Vivek Raman, Principal Knowledge Management Specialist, Department of Communications and Knowledge, ADB
9:00 - 9:40 a.m. Welcome Remarks Masatsugu Asakawa, President, ADB
9:00 - 9:40 a.m. Opening Remarks Bruno Carrasco, Director General, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
9:00 - 9:40 a.m. Keynote Speech
This document links to the full copy of the Keynote Speech delivered by Shaila Shahid, 2023 WIN DRR Leadership Awardee.
Shaila Sahid
9:00 - 9:40 a.m Overview of the Gender Forum Samantha Hung, Director, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
THEME 1 Women in the Energy Transition
SESSION 1.1 A Gender-Responsive Energy Transition: What it is and Why it Matters?
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Opening Veronica Mendizabal Joffre, Senior Gender and Social Development Specialist, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Setting the Scene H.E. Lenny Rosalin, Deputy Minister, Gender Equality, Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Republic of Indonesia (Virtual)
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Panel Discussion
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Moderator Susann Roth, Advisor, Department of Communications and Knowledge, ADB
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Soma Dutta, Lead Gender and Energy Transition Expert, ENERGIA (Virtual)
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Cherrie Atilano, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AGREA Agricultural Systems International, Inc.
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Jose Paolo Delgado, President and Chief Executive Officer, Delbros Group
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Molly Huang, Secretary General, Women in Renewables Alliance (WiRA), Head of Content & Corporate Responsibility at Leader Associates (Virtual)
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. Winfried Wicklein, Director General, Southeast Asia Regional Department, ADB
9:40 - 11:00 a.m. [VIDEO] Special Remarks
Vivi Yulaswati
11:00 - 11:15 a.m. Coffee Break @ The Auditorium Gallery
SESSION 1.2 How do we Make the Energy Transition Gender-Responsive?
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Opening and Introduction to Cases
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Moderator Toru Kubo, Senior Director, Climate Change, Resilience and Environment Cluster, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Presentation of Cases and Q&A
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Human Capital to Accelerating Energy Transition in Southeast Asia
This presentation gave an overview of the Human Capital in Southeast Asia.
Filda Yusigantoro
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Mainstreaming Gender: The case of Indonesia’s State Electricity Company(PLN)
This presentation gave an overview of Indonesia’s State Electricity Company(PLN).
Kamia Handayani
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Indigenous Peoples Perspective in Just Energy Transition
Robeliza Halip
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Leveraging Climate Finance for Women's Leadership
This presentation gave an overview of climate finance for women's leadership.
Nina Kolybashkina
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Net Zero by 2050
This presentation discussed ustainability and impact to take place, we need three dimensions: people, planet and economic viability. She provided…
Simarna Singh
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Case 6 Rosemary Idem, Programme Manager, Women and Youth at the Forefront, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) (Virtual)
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Closing Veronica Mendizabal Joffre, Senior Gender and Social Development Specialist, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Lunch @ The Executive Dining Room
THEME 2 Gender-Responsive Climate Change Adaptation
SESSION 2.1 How Can Women Drive Climate-Resilient Agriculture?
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Opening Noelle O'Brien, Director, Climate Change, Climate Change, Resilience, and Environment Cluster, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Setting the Scene
Yasmin Siddiqi
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Panel Discussion
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Moderator Mary Alice Rosero, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Azav Nomanov, Project Coordinator, Horticulture Value Chain Development Project, International Strategic Center for Agri-Food Development, Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Virtual)
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Clara Park, Senior Gender Officer and Co-Lead, Gender Equality Division, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation
Ranjitha Puskur
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Nexus of Climate Change, Gender-inequality and Ethnicity
Warathida Chaiyapa
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. [VIDEO] Bangladesh Second Crop Diversification Project
Yasmin Siddiqi
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Q&A
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Moderator Mary Alice Rosero, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
3:00 - 3:15 p.m. Coffee Break @ The Auditorium Gallery
SESSION 2.2 Adapting to Increasing Heat Though Gender-Responsive Solutions
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Introduction to the Session Zonibel Woods, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Empowering Women in Dhaka North: ReducingHeat Vulnerability in Informal Settlements
Bushra Afreen
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Panel Discussion
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Moderator Zonibel Woods, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Abhiyant Tiwari, Lead - Health & Climate Resilience, Natural Resources Defense Council, India
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Ana Bonell, Associate Professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (Virtual)
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Bushra Afreen, Chief Heat Officer, North Dhaka, Bangladesh, Arsht-Rock
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Laxmi Sharma, Senior Urban Development Specialist, ADB (Virtual)
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Q&A
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. Moderator Zonibel Woods, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
4:45 - 4:50 p.m. Closing Jinha Kim, Gender Specialist (Climate Change), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
Closing of DAY 1
4:50 - 5:00 p.m. [Video] Day One Summary
Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Vivek Raman
4:50 - 5:00 p.m. Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Vivek Raman
5:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception @ The Courtyard
Session / Activity Title Speaker(s)
7:45 - 8:45 a.m. Registration, Coffee, and Tea
9:00 - 9:05 a.m. Opening of the 2023 ADB Gender Forum
Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Vivek Raman
9:00 - 9:05 a.m. Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Vivek Raman
9:00 - 9:05 a.m. Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Vivek Raman
THEME 3 Women in the Green Economy
SESSION 3.1 A Gender-Responsive Energy Transition: What it is and Why it Matters?
9:05 - 9:10 a.m. Opening Malika Shagazatova, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
9:10 - 9:30 a.m. Setting the Scene Rebecca Razavi, Head of Public Policy and Economic Graph, Regional Director, Asia-Pacific LinkedIn
9:30 - 9:45 a.m. Q&A
9:30 - 9:45 a.m. Moderator Albert Park, Chief Economist ad Director General, Economic Research and Development Impact Department, ADB
SESSION 3.2 Green Jobs, Green Skills, and Green Entrepreneurship for Women
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Panel Discussion
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Moderator Samantha Hung, Director, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Women in the Green Economy
Alexander Tsironis
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Mainstreaming gender equality in environmental policies for a green transition
Dimitra Xynou
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Nalini Singh, Executive Director, Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM)
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Natavan Mammadova, Chief Executive Officer, Azerbaijan National Confederation of Employers and Entrepreneurs Organizations
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Q&A
9:45 - 11:15 a.m. Moderator Samantha Hung, Director, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
11:15 - 11:30 a.m. Coffee Break @ The Auditorium Gallery
SESSION 3.3 Stories from ADB's Developing Member Countries
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Panel Discussion
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Moderator Tsolmon Begzsuren, Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Fujian Farmland Sustainable Utilization and Demonstration Project
Chen Chao
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Choikhand Janchivlamdan, Coordinator, Regional Technical Assistance on Accelerating Gender Equality in East Asia for an Inclusive and Green Recovery, Mongolia
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Shaunalee Katafono, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Oicer, Traseable Solutions
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Q&A
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Moderator Tsolmon Begzsuren, Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Closing Malika Shagazatova, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
THEME 4 Gender-Responsive Private Sector-led Climate Actio
SESSION 4.1 Levers Driving Gender Inclusive Initiatives in the Green Economy
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Opening and Introduction to the Breakout Rooms
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Discussions
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Room 1
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Moderators Anne Valko Celestino, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), ADB
Kathy Mulville, Gender and Partnership Expert (Consultant),ADB
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Sabrina Tan, Vice President of People and Impact, Lhoopa Inc.
Devendra Chawal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Greencell Mobility
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Moderators Amanda Satterly, Principal Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), ADB
Neeti Katoch, Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), ADB
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Erdenedelger Bavlai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Khan Bank
Bharat Joshi, Chief Financial Officer, Cimory
Enkhbold Khaliun, Chief Administration Officer, E-Mart
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Room 3 (Online)
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Moderators
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Xianshuang Zhang, Gender in Private Sector Operations Consultant, ADB
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Gisela Garzon De La Roza, Senior International Gender in Private Sector Operations Consultant, ADB
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Shami Nissan, Partner and Head of Sustainability, Actis Fund (Virtual)
Nuka Mshvidobaze, Chief Financial Officer, Georgian Renewable Power Holding (GRPH) (Virtual)
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Session Takeaways
3:00 - 3:30 p.m. Coffee Break @ The Auditorium Gallery
SESSION 4.2 Spotlight on Gender-Inclusive Green Finance
3:30 - 3:35 p.m. Introduction to the Session and WFX Sabine Spohn, Principal Investment Specialist, Private Sector Financial Institutions Division, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
3:35 - 3:40 p.m. Opening Remarks Suzanne Gaboury, Director General, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Fireside Chats
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Interviewer Sabine Spohn, Principal Investment Specialist, Private Sector Financial Institutions Division, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Joana Pedro, Social Lead, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (Virtual)
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Interviewer Anshukant Taneja, Principal Investment Specialist, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Kamrul Tarafder, President and Chief Executive Oicer, ASA Philippines Foundation
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Interviewer Gema Perez, Senior Investment Specialist, Private Sector Financial Institutions Division, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Maya Kobalia, Head of Environmental and Social (E&S) Department, Crystal
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Interviewer Anne Valko Celestino, Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development), Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
3:40 - 4:30 p.m. Biao Huang, Principal Investment Specialist, Private Sector Financial Institutions Division, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
4:30 - 4:40 p.m. Closing Sabine Spohn, Principal Investment Specialist, Private Sector Financial Institutions Division, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB
Closing Ceremonies
4:40 - 5:00 p.m. [Video] Final Day Recap
4:40 - 5:00 p.m. Maralmaa Munkh-Achit, Young Professional, Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB
4:40 - 5:00 p.m. Vivek Raman, Principal Knowledge Management Specialist, Department of Communications and Knowledge, ADB
4:40 - 5:00 p.m. Tofu Creatives
4:40 - 5:00 p.m. Closing of the 2023 ADB Gender Forum Fatima Yasmin, Vice-President (Sectors and Themes), ADB

Disclaimer

The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

Event Coordinator/s

  • Mia Allyson Howell

ADB Organizer/s

  • Gender Equality Division

Topics

  • Gender Equality
  • Climate Change
  • Environment
  • Energy