On 23 June 2026, the Centre of Excellence on Gender-smart Solutions (CoE) convened its 10th LIVE TALK, marking an important milestone in advancing gender-responsive approaches to Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI).

Bringing together members of the CoE Community of Practice and the broader CDRFI ecosystem, the session provided a space to reflect on five years of progress, share lessons learned, and explore pathways to sustain and scale gender-smart approaches in an evolving global context.

Since its launch at COP26 in 2021, with the support of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the CoE has played a leading role in advancing gender-responsive CDRFI.

Over the past five years, the CoE has:

• Consolidated over 140 knowledge products and resources
• Provided technical assistance to 13 programmes across four regions
• Strengthened leadership and regulatory capacity by supporting 58 women regulators and leaders from 19 countries
• Convened global dialogue through nine Live Talks, five Gender Dialogues, and an expanding Community of Practice
• Delivered awareness-raising trainings to countries under the Global Shield

These efforts have contributed to building a global network committed to strengthening the financial protection and resilience of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, against climate and disaster risks.

Speaker Highlights

The discussion featured a diverse group of practitioners and experts who shared insights from global, institutional, and community perspectives:

• Anastasia Thomaides (GIZ/CoE) highlighted the urgency of embedding gender-responsive approaches in CDRFI, noting that climate shocks continue to disproportionately impact women and vulnerable groups.
• Connie Tulus (Global Affairs Canada) emphasized the importance of sustained investment, strong partnerships, and the role of the CoE in strengthening evidence and institutional capacity.
• Katherine Miles (CoE Consultant) outlined three priorities moving forward: strengthening the business case for gender-smart solutions, designing viable products and delivery channels, and scaling integrated financing approaches.
• Susanna De Sousa (World Food Programme) shared country-level experiences and outlined plans to expand climate and gender gap analyses across additional countries.
• Rajeswari Gorana (Mahila Housing Trust) demonstrated how gamification can make complex financial concepts more accessible, particularly for women and underserved communities.
• David Jácome-Polit (ICLEI) underscored the need to better understand vulnerability, close data gaps, and ensure that communities have a meaningful voice in designing solutions.
• Donna Dizon (CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative) highlighted the importance of trust, dignity, and addressing gender barriers to ensure inclusive insurance systems.

Key Discussion Themes

The LIVE TALK highlighted both progress and persistent challenges in advancing gender-smart CDRFI. Discussions underscored:

• The critical importance of embedding gender considerations in financial protection systems
• The need to strengthen the evidence base, including sex-disaggregated data
• The role of human-centered design in ensuring accessibility and uptake
• The importance of trust, community engagement, and inclusive delivery channels
• The urgency of scaling solutions through partnerships, innovation, and sustained investment

Participants also reflected on the shifting funding landscape and the implications for the future of gender-smart CDRFI, emphasizing the need to maintain momentum despite increasing fiscal constraints.

Outcomes and Next Steps

The session reaffirmed that gender-responsive CDRFI is essential to building resilient and inclusive financial systems. Participants highlighted the importance of moving beyond awareness toward implementation, scaling proven solutions, and strengthening collaboration across stakeholders.

As the CoE and its partners look ahead, the discussion pointed to a clear priority: ensuring that gender-smart approaches remain central to climate and disaster risk financing efforts, even in the face of evolving global challenges.

The 10th LIVE TALK not only celebrated the progress achieved to date but also set the stage for continued action to advance equitable financial protection for those most vulnerable to climate and disaster risks.