A panel discussion of experts examined key issues and agreed that there still remain cultural barriers related to addressing sexual reproductive health. With the increasing climate change impacts, research findings show that girls are marrying early, and have adolescent pregnancies.

From the key discussions, need areas have been highlighted as indicated below.

• Concerns around Empowering the youth to integrate gender & health into the adaptation agenda.
• Engaging women and girls in decision-making at all levels of government and community.
• Multispectral interventions and partnerships with other like minded collaborators.

Alison Malmqvist, the director of sexuality and reproductive Health at PSI noted that to get this intersectionality into the COP 28 agenda, national processes must demonstrate commitments through traceable actions.

Uganda, with the support of FAO is in the process of  developing a gender action plan. At UNFCCC level, the gender action plan will end in 2024. Experts through the session panel discussions at the Uganda pavilion indicated that there is an opportunity to include SRHR issues in submissions to be discussed by the SBI next year. They also reached a consensus that CSOs should work with governments to ensure this integration.

The side event at the Uganda pavilion at cop 28 was hosted by the Ministry of Water and Environment and organized by a consortium of partners led by Regenerate Africa, National population council, Climate Action Network, Panorama and Pathfinder among others.