On September 22-23, 2025, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Micronesia and Polynesia joined the Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) and Marshall Islands Conservation Society in Majuro to host the inception workshop for the Kiwa Initiative’s Women’s Work project. The two-day workshop brought together mayors, local government, community representatives from Aur, Namo, and Wotho Atolls, and staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Commerce, MIMRA, the College of the Marshall Islands Land Grant, and the Climate Change Directorate.
Women’s Work: Restoring Biodiverse Shallow Coastal Habitats and Connecting Their Keepers to Adapt Food Systems and Reach Food Security in Micronesia is a three-year regional effort that empowers women to lead nature-based solutions (NbS) for food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience in Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. MCT is leading at both country and regional levels, while TNC serves as a regional technical partner, providing training, technical advice, and support for NbS implementation.
The project will form and train women’s groups, restore and expand food-producing coastal habitats, and support women-led livelihood activities in 20 rural communities on 12 islands. Its targets include restoring up to 40,000 hectares of taro patches, mangroves, seagrass, and nearshore reefs and strengthening the capacity of at least 500 women to implement NbS locally.
During the workshop, participants reviewed project goals, clarified roles and responsibilities, and agreed on coordination, communication, and next steps for implementation. Organizers emphasized the central role of women’s traditional ecological knowledge and the need to embed gender equality, disability, and social inclusion throughout planning and action. The workshop also outlined timelines for funding and delivery through 2028.
“This project places women’s knowledge and leadership at the center of how we restore coastal food systems and protect the places that feed our families,” said Chloe Abraham, TNC Marshall Islands Program Manager. “When women lead locally driven restoration, communities are stronger and more resilient.”
The Women’s Work project is part of the Kiwa Initiative’s regional portfolio of Nature-based Solutions for climate adaptation, funded by the European Union, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the governments of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.