On October 16, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the 6th Kafirnigan River Basin Women’s Forum ‘Women’s Voices in an Era of Melting Glaciers: Knowledge for Equitable and Sustainable Water Management’ was held.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan with the support of the regional program ‘Green Central Asia, phase II’, implemented by GIZ. The forum brought together more than 60 participants from across the region.
The forum was attended by representatives of government institutions, international organizations, the scientific community, as well as active women leaders from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Iran. Participants discussed pressing issues related to climate change, glacier retreat, rational water use, and the involvement of women in decision-making processes in the water sector.
The central topic of discussion was the impact of climate change on the sustainability of regional water resources and the need to integrate a gender perspective into water resource management. It was emphasized that women, particularly in rural areas, play a key role in ensuring water security and sustainable development. Their knowledge, experience, and initiatives should be reflected in water management policies and practices.
Participants shared successful examples of women’s engagement in water resource management at both national and regional levels, discussed ways to strengthen transboundary cooperation, and outlined steps to further expand women’s participation in climate change adaptation.
At the conclusion of the forum, participants expressed their commitment to continue active cooperation within basin initiatives and to strengthen platforms for dialogue, learning, and experience exchange among women in the region.
The forum once again reaffirmed the importance of women’s voices in addressing today’s environmental and water-related challenges and became an important step toward more sustainable and inclusive water management in the Kafirnigan River Basin and beyond.
At the invitation of the Tajik side, Dr. Nargis Zohrabi, Chair of the Task Force on Empowering Women in Water Management of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), attended the event as a special guest.
