Pacific Women's Blueprint: Spotlight Vanuatu - Co-Designing Resilience from the Frontlines of Change (COP30 Belém Gender Action Plan - GAP)

When: March 10, 2026

Where: Sydney, Australia

REGISTER

​"We gratefully acknowledge that this event is being held on the unceded lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. To their Elders, past present and emerging, we bring our respect, our hearts and our intentions for learning and deep listening."

​Bridging the GAP: From Global Policy to Pacific Reality

​Vanuatu is currently at the epicentre of international climate diplomacy. By spearheading the historic request for an International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on climate change, our nearest Pacific neighbour is defining the legal and moral obligations of the 21st century.

​With the eyes of the world on our region, and Vanuatu's grassroots women bearing the brunt of escalating impacts, Australia’s role as a regional leader and host of the Pre-COP31 meeting is under intense scrutiny.

​The COP30 Belém Gender Action Plan (GAP) provides a global mandate, but the fundamental challenge remains: how do we move from high-level reporting to a lived reality for the 2 billion underserved women, at the frontlines of climate impact, around the world?

​Join the Agency of Women (AOW) for a high-level, co-design symposium that prioritises Pacific-led solutions. This is not a passive seminar; it is a collaborative laboratory where Pacific First Nations Women, their Advocates, Federal policy architects, ESG corporate leaders, and green business innovators unite to troubleshoot the implementation of the 2026–2034 GAP mandates as they apply to their real-world setting.

​Through the lens of the Mitingar Women and Girls Association (Vanuatu), participants will interrogate the longitudinal framework and baseline metrics (essential for meeting the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Belém GAP) designed to prove why women-led social leadership is the most powerful catalyst for community resilience.

​As we embark on a 'three-year organisational infrastructure project' together, you are invited to apply a deliberate-practice model, guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Inner Development Goals (IDG), to co-design reciprocal exchange scenarios that connect high-level strategic capital with grassroots agency.

​This very much includes supporting dialogue and partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, respecting their right to self-determination, and honouring the sharing of their wisdom and knowledge according to their cultural protocols.

​Why attend? The grassroots women of Vanuatu are on a journey of capacity-building that will help shape Pacific-led resilience for years to come. They are partnering with change-leaders attending CAWSYD 2026 for a deep dive into the raw realities they face on the ground and how we can collaborate with them to drive further action.

​What you will gain:

​Leading-Edge Insight: Deep understanding of the specific barriers and leadership models in climate-impacted Pacific communities at the project's inception.

​Policy Innovation: Practical experience in designing systems to operationalise Belém GAP Priority Areas A and B (A: Capacity-building; B: Gender balance and participation).

​Adaptive Leadership Skills: A hands-on approach to enhance your change-leadership and collaborative capacity in high-stakes, low-resource environments.

​Strategic Network: Direct connection with Pacific diplomatic voices, systems transformation practitioners, and aligned global leaders.

​Please Note: 100% of profits from ticket proceeds for this event will be donated to the Mitingar Women and Girls Association in Vanuatu to fund Mary Jack's participation and the initial phase of their 3-year organisational infrastructure project. You can find more information about Mitingar and the women of Vanuatu here: https://www.google.com/search?q=https://mitingar-gdg-j1259nv.raiselysite.com/

Location
University of Technology Sydney
15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia

---