Mount Zwegabin / ဇွဲကပင် တောင်, Karen State, Myanmar

Abstract

International climate frameworks are largely organised through states and national institutions. Yet many conflict-affected communities live in contested governance settings, where state bodies, local authorities, civil society organisations and non-state armed groups exercise overlapping or competing forms of authority. In these contexts, climate-related hazards and environmental degradation interact with displacement, armed conflict and existing social and gender inequalities.

This pilot project examines climate and environmental governance in Karen State, Myanmar, where parts of the territory are controlled or influenced by non-state armed groups. It asks how climate adaptation and environmental protection are negotiated in such settings; how women’s experiences and agency can shape these decisions; and which locally developed approaches can make adaptation and environmental governance more gender-responsive and conflict-sensitive. The project deliberately considers women not only as people exposed to climate- and conflict-related risks, but also as actors who shape environmental governance and peacebuilding. Women in Karen State are active in environmental initiatives, women’s organisations, local governance and everyday peacebuilding, while decision-making structures remain largely male-dominated. The research therefore examines both the gendered effects of climate and environmental pressures and the ways in which women influence decisions and develop responses to overlapping crises.

The twelve-month pilot study will be conducted together with an Insider Researcher from Myanmar. The research questions, data collection tools and analytical framework will be refined collaboratively during the project. The study combines peer-to-peer interviews with Photovoice, a participatory method through which a small group of women will document their experiences of climate risks, environmental change and conflict through photographs and accompanying narratives. The images and stories will be discussed and interpreted through several rounds of collective reflection, enabling participants’ knowledge and interpretations to shape the analysis and conclusions.

The project will generate empirically grounded insights into the gender-climate-conflict nexus in contested governance settings and into the role of non-state armed groups in climate and environmental governance. Findings will be shared through a co-authored academic article, a policy brief and an online photo essay. The project will also develop practical recommendations for policymakers, donors and practitioners on how adaptation planning and implementation in contested areas can become more conflict-sensitive and gender-responsive, while better reflecting locally grounded knowledge and priorities.