Hashoo Foundation convened a multi-stakeholder Gender-Responsive Policy Integration Workshop and Consultation in Gilgit under the Gilgit-Baltistan Local Area Development Programme (GBLADP), an initiative funded by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and locally implemented by Hashoo Foundation.
The session brought together government officials, civil society representatives, community leaders, local small to medium enterprises and community organizations including village organizations, women organizations and youth organizations.
The workshop identified gender gaps in existing environmental and natural resource management frameworks and co-developed pathways for more inclusive, climate-resilient development in the district.
With agriculture supporting more than 70% of local livelihoods, women contribute significantly to the sector’s workforce. They carry primary responsibilities in forestry, firewood collection, livestock care, and household natural resource use. Yet their representation in environmental decision-making remains limited.
The consultation examined how gender-responsive policies can be embedded into local development planning, with a focus on environmental services, forestry, water management and climate resilience. Participants engaged in group discussions on gender policy gaps and the proposed gender mainstreaming model.
Speaking at the session, Uzma Nomani, Manager Resource Mobilisation & Climate Change, at Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, explained PPAF’s approach to poverty graduation and climate resilience, emphasising that women are central to natural resource management. “The Local Area Development Programme aims that women serve not just as participants but as leaders shaping resilient communities. Today’s consultation is a key step in ensuring policy frameworks reflect their knowledge and priorities.”
Qandeel Zehra, Scientific Officer, Environmental Protection Agency Gilgit-Baltistan, added, “Women in our villages contribute daily to the preservation of forests and water sources, but their voices rarely reach decision-makers. This session has given us hope that future policies will consider our realities.”
Hashoo Foundation emphasized its long-standing commitment to strengthening community-led governance systems across Gilgit-Baltistan. Through GBLADP, the organization is working to embed gender perspectives in local planning, enhance institutional capacities, and support climate-resilient socio-economic uplift in Diamer.