At different points in our lives, we may become part of different groups and communities, both personal and professional. Each of them serves a purpose and gives us a sense of belonging. For the IKI Interface Viet Nam team, the IKI Gender Community of Practice is one such community.      

The journey of the IKI Viet Nam Gender Community of Practice (CoP) began at the IKI Workshop in October 2024, where the group was officially launched.  

Before the launch, we were navigating many unknowns around how Viet Nam’s IKI Gender CoP could be implemented effectively, as well as what a suitable engagement strategy for the community would look like. In other words, how the group can create added value and help projects to integrate gender aspects on a practical level. Given IKI’s diversity of thematic areas, organisations, and geographic locations, maintaining regular meetings of a community of practice across projects is challenging. In addition, we had a limited understanding of how gender approaches had been integrated into project implementation.  

However, amid many questions, one belief remained clear: gender inequality, which is a century-old issue, constantly remaining in various forms, should be more central in the conversations and actions of IKI implementers.  

The launch of the Gender CoP laid a strong foundation for our continued work over the past year. We started by developing different channels such as events, an MS Teams room and an online page to create a knowledge-sharing platform that brings together not only gender focal points from IKI projects but also their partners, stakeholders and technical staff. However, these channels alone cannot form a community of practice without regular interactions, exchange and learning from each other.  

The first meeting was held in person with a small number of participants. Together, we discussed the IKI gender work within a multi-sectoral context in Viet Nam and examined the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Gender CoP to define its future activities.

Throughout last year, regular meetings had a focus on thematic exchanges around gender mainstreaming, ranging from integrating gender justice into local climate change initiatives to the IKI Gender Strategy, including key requirements and impactful indicators for project implementation.  

The meeting in August 2025 opened the floor for sharing and learning by showcasing good practices in gender mainstreaming implemented by three IKI projects across three organisations: SNV, WWF, and CIAT. The strong engagement and insightful lessons of the presenters in the fields, along with their impactful stories of supporting women’s empowerment and gender justice, inspired us and the entire audience to take into account the needs, capacities and contributions of women more systematically in our daily project work and see women as powerful actors in both community development and climate and biodiversity protection.

As a result, the IKI Interface Viet Nam team decided to document all these valuable practices into a publication to introduce the IKI gender efforts to a broader audience. Titled “Gender Mainstreaming in Biodiversity and Climate Policies and Actions – Insights from IKI Projects in Viet Nam”, the publication was produced through the collaborative work of IKI projects and the IKI Interface Viet Nam team. We aim to value expertise and foster the exchange of ideas and commitment to gender justice across different levels, from the local to the central.  

The participation and engagement of IKI implementers in the IKI Gender CoP have increased over time. The shared work and experiences in each meeting have left a sense of support and growth among practitioners. Together, we cultivate a shared repertoire of resources with lessons, knowledge and solutions to persistent and structural gender bias.  

Due to the diverse backgrounds and geographic locations of IKI implementers, meetings have been held online. In terms of content, we have sought to enrich the topic of exchange by inviting not only IKI implementers but also partners and presenters from outside the IKI network, creating a platform where different perspectives could come together and inspire new ideas. Furthermore, emerging topics, such as the integration of gender equality in the voluntary carbon market, were introduced in recent meetings.  

“I found the IKI Gender CoP meetings very insightful and relevant to my work. The recent session on “Gender Equality in Climate Projects & the Voluntary Carbon Market” helped me better understand key areas and interventions for strengthening gender equality in project design, implementation and monitoring, with practical examples and good practices that can be applied to our current biodiversity projects. I also appreciated the discussion on the important roles of different stakeholders and the message that promoting gender equality requires the involvement of both women and men.,” shared Mai, a team member from the IKI project Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net) after the meeting. 

The IKI Gender CoP entered its second year, and our journey as organisers has been both fulfilling and inspiring, marked by meaningful exchanges and a deep sense of gratitude. Along the way, we have learned from one another, as stories we shared and connections deepened across the community. With a clearer path ahead, we remain committed to exploring ways to strengthen the IKI Gender CoP, believing that every effort helps advance our collective progress toward gender justice. 

-IKI Interface Viet Nam team-