The Tonga Statistics Department (TSD), in partnership with UN Women and The Pacific Community (SPC), successfully held a three-day national workshop from 11–13 August 2025 to strengthen the use of Gender and Environment Survey (GES) data in climate action policy frameworks.
The Tonga GES 2022, supported by UN Women and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), provided the country’s first nationally representative, sex-disaggregated data on how women and men experience environmental change, climate impacts, and disaster risks. By providing the first national, sex-disaggregated data on environmental change and disaster risks, the GES strengthens the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality Tonga (WEGET) Policy Outcome 5, ensuring climate policies address women’s needs, close gender gaps, and boost women’s voices in environmental decision-making.
The workshop, focused on Integrating Gender and Environment Survey (GES) Data Across Tonga’s Climate Action Policy Frameworks, brought together representatives from government ministries, technical departments, and civil society organizations. Participants explored how GES findings can guide inclusive and evidence-based climate action.
By the conclusion of the workshop, data users and producers emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue and collaboration to ensure climate policies and strategies are informed by robust, gender-sensitive evidence.
TSD extends sincere thanks to its partners, UN Women and SPC, for their continued support, as well as all stakeholders who participated, including the Climate Change Department, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Department of Energy, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests, Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, Ministry of Health, Ma’a Fafine mo e Famili, and the in-country representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).