Advancing the WEFE-GESI Nexus: Insights on leadership and localization from Nepal

Webinar 10 of the WEFE nexus policy series takes us to a new topic – that of Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE)-Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) nexus. The webinar will look at the WEFE – GESI nexus as a solution for climate resilience and positions these two areas as critical, complementary lenses for advancing equitable livelihoods and maximizing the impact of scarce investments. The first session under this topic bridges theory and practice, drawing on critical, on-the-ground insights from Nepal with two experts presenting their work covering strategies for strengthening the leadership capacities of women professionals and effectively localizing a GESI-responsive WEFE Nexus approach. To broaden the conversation beyond South Asia, discussants from the MENA region and South Africa will reflect on the relevance and transferability of strategies used in Nepal to address the specific challenges and opportunities in their respective regions. While resource scarcity and growing demand initially drove WEFE nexus thinking, today’s climate, economic and geopolitical uncertainties make its operationalization more urgent than ever. Shrinking investments in environmental protection, coupled with global disruptions to essential supplies, are accelerating environmental degradation and intensifying food and water security challenges, particularly for the vulnerable populations. Despite the urgency of protecting these communities, past research has shown that gender considerations remain absent from nearly 90% of WEFE nexus interventions. Neglecting Gender Equality and Social Inclusion can reinforce exclusion, exacerbate local grievances, and ultimately undermine the sustainability and resilience of development outcomes.