Implementing partners
About the project
CRC, a women-led NGO in Thailand, will implement a project to advance gender mainstreaming in Mekong River governance. The initiative targets seven Northeastern provinces along Thailand’s longest stretch of the Lower Mekong mainstream, where hydropower development and ecological change affect community livelihoods.
The project will convene two community workshops in Nong Khai and/or Nakhon Phanom. These participatory trainings will build paralegal knowledge on Business and Human Rights (BHR), strengthen women’s leadership, and enable participants to analyse gender-specific impacts of Mekong dams. Each workshop will also provide a forum for drafting perspectives, which will form a Gender Action Plan and policy recommendations.
A milestone event in Bangkok, linked to the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) Annual Meeting (April–May 2026), will give Mekong women leaders an international platform to present and exchange views. CRC will coordinate policy meetings with the MRC, UNEP, and Thai government agencies to formally submit these recommendations.
Key objectives
- Strengthen women’s leadership in Mekong River governance by training at least 20 community representatives (70–80% women) from seven Northeastern provinces as paralegals on Business and Human Rights (BHR) and water governance.
- Document and analyse gender-specific impacts of Mekong hydropower projects through participatory community workshops, ensuring women’s voices and experiences are consolidated into a Gender Action Plan.
- Develop and present policy recommendations to relevant institutions—including the Mekong River Commission (MRC), UNEP, and Thai government agencies—so that gender perspectives are integrated into national and regional decision-making.
- Provide an international platform for Mekong women leaders to share experiences and build solidarity by engaging in the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) Annual Meeting (April–May 2026).
- Contribute to regional awareness and advocacy by linking local women’s perspectives with broader regional processes, including ASEAN’s emerging commitments on environment and gender equality.
This project is part of the BRIDGE (Building River Dialogue and Governance) initiative grants: Gender Mainstreaming Grants / Women Leadership Grants. The BRIDGE Grants aim to address barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment in transboundary water governance. The grants support practical actions to strengthen inclusive institutions and promote women-led solutions for managing and restoring freshwater ecosystems. BRIDGE is made possible through the Water Diplomacy Programme of the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC).
