Remarks by the UN Resident Coordinator Marc-André Franche at the Launch of the Gender Responsive Climate Security Assessment

Good morning.

Secretaries to Ministries, colleagues from government, diplomatic missions, civil society, academia, ladies and gentlemen.

Sri Lanka is confronted by multiple challenges, not least the twin challenges of escalating climate threats and the continuing legacies of conflict, inequality and fragile social cohesion.

How Sri Lanka responds to climate change will not only determine its environmental resilience but will also help to shape national unity and peace.

I would like to thank the Australian Government and UNDP-DPPA Joint Programme for funding UNDP and UNWomen to carry out this assignment with the support of Adelphi Research.

The Gender-Responsive Climate Security Assessment that we are launching today reminds us that climate action must be rooted in justice and inclusion.

In Sri Lanka’s post-conflict context, inclusive climate strategies are not just about resilience - they are tools for peace, helping to strengthen cohesion where divisions remain fragile.

Climate change affects everyone. But its impacts are felt unevenly. Women, girls, and other marginalized groups often carry the greatest burden.

For Tamil, Muslim, and plantation communities, historic inequalities magnify climate impacts. Decades of conflict and under-investment have left the North, East, and plantations with fewer roads, irrigation systems, schools, and clinics. Farmers there often lack equal access to credit and services.

In Mullaitivu, a Tamil woman told us: “My husband left for Colombo in search of work. I look after the fields and my family. But because the land title is not in my name, I cannot get any support.” Her story illustrates how gender roles, lack of rights and climate stress, combine to place a heavy burden on women.

Natural disasters also disrupt education. In Batticaloa, seasonal floods force girls from poor families to miss school for weeks, heightening risks of early marriage or forced labour.

In Mullaitivu, the return of displaced Muslim families after nearly 30 years has heightened land pressures. Land disputes in the North and East, aggravated by unresolved military land use, fuel resentment. Climate change worsens this by shrinking arable land and intensifying competition.

In the Eastern Province, many farmers believe that subsidies and water are channeled preferentially to the South and Central provinces. Whether real or perceived, ignoring these grievances makes communities doubt the promise of national unity.

Yet there is hope. When done inclusively, climate adaptation can become a driver of reconciliation and unity.

In Mullaitivu, Tamil, Muslim, and Sinhala residents now come together in community-led disaster preparedness programmes. The lesson is clear: community-driven green initiatives can bridge divides.

Agriculture is a sector where equity is urgently needed. In the East, Tamil and Muslim farmers feel excluded from decisions on crop varieties, fertilizer allocation, and irrigation. Establishing a dedicated Paddy Farmers’ Association office in Batticaloa with minority representation could ensure that farming calendars, water allocation, and fertilizer distribution reflect local needs.

Human–wildlife conflict must also be tackled with fairness and inclusion. For example, in Hambantota and other areas, villagers displaced by development projects have found their new farmlands raided by elephants.

The way forward calls for conflict-sensitive planning: consulting with communities before resettlement, engaging local councils and women’s groups, and piloting community-managed deterrent systems or farmer compensation schemes.

Gender inclusion must be central to every climate strategy. Women are often the first responders in crises and stewards of homes and farms. Empowering them creates ripple effects of resilience. This means:

• Supporting women’s livelihood diversification with training and microfinance in green sectors.

• Investing in services that benefit women like flood-proof clinics and safe sanitation.

• Enabling women to lead cooperatives and community committees, ensuring inclusive decisions on water, land, and other resources.

Language barriers deepen exclusion. Government forms and meetings are mostly in Sinhala or English, leaving many Tamil and Tamil/Malayalam-speaking families unable to access relief.

Climate plans, disaster relief forms and official notices must be translated and made accessible to all. Hiring local extension officers from minority communities will help build trust.

The new government has signaled its commitment to inclusive governance. By linking climate policy with reconciliation, we can help deliver on that promise. Every rupee spent on adaptation is an investment in building peace.

To achieve this vision, coordinated action and innovative financing are critical.

Sri Lanka must tap the full spectrum of climate finance such as the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the new Loss and Damage Fund. Proposals should demonstrate a holistic approach to climate action which integrates both resilience and unity.

Inclusive climate action is not an optional add-on. It is the fabric that can stitch our society together.

Evidence shows when all communities have equal access to climate-smart agriculture, clean water, renewable energy, and decision-making, grievances ease and trust grows.

I urge the government, civil society and partners and UN colleagues to embed justice and inclusion at the heart of all your climate plans and to fund and champion projects that unite communities around climate solutions.

By pursuing equity and inclusion, Sri Lanka can build resilience, and through resilience, lay the foundations for lasting peace.