Strengthening understanding of gendered dimensions of climate-related security risks at the centre of OSCE event

How gender shape people’s experiences of climate change and security risks was in focus at the “Resilient Futures: Linking Climate, Gender and Security” event organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) on 3 November 2025 in Vienna. The event featured findings of a research study on the gendered dimensions of climate-related security risks in the OSCE area conducted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and commissioned by the OSCE.

“The intersection of gender and climate action lies in the OSCE’s mandate,” said Bakyt Dzhusupov, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, during his opening remarks. “In the landmark Ministerial Council Decision from 2021, the OSCE’s 57 participating States joined consensus to intensify co-operation to strengthen climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation, emphasizing the effective involvement of women in decision-making, and the meaningful participation of women and also of girls, where appropriate.” Speaking about Finland’s priorities as OSCE Chair in 2025, Kimmo Laukkanen, Deputy Head of Mission at the Permanent Mission of Finland to the OSCE, stressed the country’s long-standing commitment to promoting gender equality and climate security.

Turning to the findings of the recent study, Bárbara Magalhães Teixeira, researcher at SIPRI, underlined the need for systematic research and policy integration. She explained how gender roles and inequalities shape people’s experiences of and responses to climate-related security risks. Recognizing these dynamics can make climate and security policies more effective and equitable, she said.

The event also featured a panel discussion with Teixeira, Ambassador Brian Flynn, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the OSCE; Silvia Sartori, independent International Gender, Energy, and Climate Expert, Sofiia Shevchuk, independent Researcher; and Tanja Jakobi, Director of the Public Policy Research Center in Serbia. The discussion was moderated by Thomas Ritzer, Senior Climate Change and Security Adviser at the OCEEA.

Participants discussed how women’s leadership, inclusive decision-making, and targeted support can enhance resilience and stability in the face of climate change. They also exchanged experiences and good practices from across the OSCE region, including on integrating gender perspectives in environmental governance, energy security, and disaster risk reduction.

” Understanding the relationship between peace and security, gender, and climate change is crucial — not only to gain deeper insights into their impacts but also to ensure our responses are targeted where they are needed most,” said Ambassador Flynn “We look forward to seeing how the OSCE and participating States use the conclusions of this research to advance gender-sensitive approaches to climate, peace, and security.”

Highlighting OSCE’s activities in Central Asia, Sartori emphasized how  “the Organization enables people — and women in particular — to act as change makers and multipliers, driving the energy transition, generating new livelihoods, improving the wellbeing of families, while also strengthening self-confidence and creating new role models.”

The event was the culmination of a series of regional dialogues, workshops, and international forums on gender, climate change and security, held throughout 2025. Their outcomes will feed into the development of a toolkit for policymakers expected to be published in 2026.

These activities are part of the OSCE’s extrabudgetary project, “Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia”, which is implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities implemented in partnership with adelphi and in close collaboration with the OSCE field operations. It is funded by Andorra, Austria, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.