France honours Pakistan’s women climate champions with prestigious gender climate awards

Islamabad
The Embassy of France, in collaboration with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), Aga Khan Foundation, UN Women and the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC), celebrated the achievements of Pakistan’s women climate leaders at the fourth edition of the Gender Climate Award (GCA) 2026 held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad.
The prestigious awards ceremony brought together diplomats, government officials, development partners, civil society representatives, climate advocates, academics and media professionals to recognize women driving innovative climate solutions and environmental stewardship across Pakistan.
Ambassador Nicolas Galey of France, accompanied by key stakeholders, presented the 2026 Gender Climate Awards to Dr. Zillay Mariam Sohail and Ms. Songul Jamal in recognition of their outstanding contributions to climate action. Each winner received a cash prize of Rs1 million.
The event was attended by European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis, Head of Secours Islamique France Dr. Altaf Abro, diplomats, rights activists and members of civil society.
Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Galey congratulated the award recipients and praised the growing impact of the initiative launched by the French Embassy in 2023. He noted that the award has expanded significantly over the years, attracting increasing participation from women climate leaders across the country.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome you to this fourth edition of the Gender and Climate Award ceremony. Year after year, this initiative continues to grow in size and attract more candidates and partners,” he said.
The ambassador highlighted France’s commitment to promoting gender equality and climate action through its feminist diplomacy framework, emphasizing that women are disproportionately affected by climate change while playing a crucial role in developing solutions and building resilience.
He noted that this year’s competition received a record 352 applications from across Pakistan, demonstrating the growing momentum of women-led climate initiatives nationwide.
“Both winners impressed the jury through the quality of their work and its impact. Dr. Zillay Mariam Sohail has pioneered innovative green enterprise and technological solutions for plastic and organic waste management, while Songul Jamal has shown exceptional leadership in protecting fragile coral ecosystems and raising environmental awareness among coastal communities,” Ambassador Galey said.
He reaffirmed France’s long-term commitment to supporting climate resilience and gender-inclusive development in Pakistan, noting that since 2006, AFD has supported more than 40 projects in the country with investments exceeding 1.5 billion euros across multiple sectors.
Ambassador Galey also paid tribute to Aisha Khan, Chief Executive of the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change, for her tireless efforts in advancing climate advocacy and successfully organizing the award programme. He described her as one of Pakistan’s strongest voices on climate issues and commended her team for their dedication.
In her keynote address, Senator Sherry Rehman underscored the indispensable role of women in climate adaptation and disaster response.
“Women are not only affected by climate change but also play a key role in responding to it. Despite social and economic challenges, they lead emergency response and recovery efforts and drive positive change in their communities,” she said.
Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, Dr. Samuel Rizk underscored the need for inclusive and equitable climate action. He stated that “The women we honor today already know the data, the impact, the statistics, and certainly know the differentiated toll climate change and environmental degradation has on women and girls and the community at the large. In fact, they have already taken action.”
Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Moriani, who delivered the closing keynote, praised the Embassy of France and partner organizations for promoting women’s leadership in climate action.
Established to recognize women whose leadership, innovation and commitment are helping communities confront climate challenges and advance sustainable development, the Pakistan Gender Climate Award has now honored ten women climate champions since its inception.

By: ZUBAIR QURESHI