What’s “holding back change”? Opportunities and challenges for the ‘participation’ and ‘inclusion’ of people with diverse SOGIESC in disaster risk reduction

More specifically, this paper intends to unpack the drivers and obstacles to such ‘inclusion’ in the light of two consultative projects held in the Asia-Pacific region between 2018 and 2021: the Pride in the Humanitarian System consultation (2018) and the Platform for the Inclusion of Non-normative Genders and Sexualities in Climate Change Adaptation Policy and Action (2021).

While these two projects generated tremendous energy and hope amongst their participants and extensive recommendations regarding diverse SOGIESC inclusion were made, meaningful changes remained elusive.

This paper argues that these consultative and participatory forums are only some of the avenues to secure incremental changes, and that wider advocacy and working in solidarity with other activities is needed to advance a transformative agenda.