UNDP and IOM are jointly implementing gender-transformational conflict prevention interventions in Hela and Southern Highlands under the UN Peacebuilding Fund-supported project “Preventing Climate-Induced Conflicts Through Empowered Women Leadership”. 

The project aims to empower women leaders to become conflict-sensitive community resilience activists by conducting trainings, sharing best practices, strengthening inclusive peacebuilder networks and supporting gender equality. It also supports efforts to raise awareness of women’s rights, increase access to information resources as well as advance the inclusion of women in community decision-making.

To guide these interventions, UNDP commissioned the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) to conduct this Downscaled Climate Risk Assessment focusing on Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces to help identify high-risk communities and customize interventions to enhance community resilience against climate shocks. 

The results of the climate risk assessment indicate the potential for increased rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, and extreme events that would enhance the likelihood of landslides, floods and drought (and possibly frost) events in both provinces.