CelebratingYears of our

JOURNEY

Over the past year, SAEDI Consulting has supported

35+

Projects

27+

Clients

36+

Countries

In 3

Continents

11+ Gender Assessments and Gender Action Plans Delivered Globally
Across All Projects

Message from Managing Director

 As we celebrate four years of SAEDI Consulting, I am beyond grateful, happy and proud of all we achieved since 2021 and the voices and perspectives we have raised. I am proud of our accomplishments in the last year and how our work influenced our growth, values and what we hold as important. It is surreal and exciting to see my vision become a reality and be one that is shared and co-owned by others. We have grown from a very small team to a core of 12 associates and another 6 persons that work with us as and when needed. Our team represents a variety of geographies, from Latin America and the Caribbean, to Canada, to the African continent and diverse fields of expertise including gender, research and data analysis, communications and project management. 

I am pleased about the high-quality and nuanced work we delivered and continue to deliver. We worked in key areas for the first time such as transport and early-warning systems, while our involvement in multi-country projects with intense stakeholder engagements encouraged us to adapt to tight timelines while effectively learning more about vulnerable groups and their needs to better serve them through our work, including our Gender Assessments and Gender Action Plans. It is also noteworthy that our scope has increased from projects valued at USD$20-30,000 to larger projects valued at USD $50-100,000.00, a doubling and tripling of our initial capacity.

We are grateful to have collaborated with so many organisations such as Yarrow Global Consulting on climate and health, and the Society of Gender Professionals (SGP), as well as CANARI as part of the Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance on the advocacy side of our work, and to have engaged new clients like IIED, ARA and others as part of the project and programming side of our work.  We value these partnerships and I am proud of our ability to be contracted repeatedly by the same clients such as CCCCC, Environmental Solutions Ltd., AAE and E Co. Ltd, as well as our ability to attract others interested in our services. We also remain committed to and value our role as a member in the UN Global Compact and as a signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).

I envision an exciting next few months as we enter into Year 5 of operations, that include new projects and team members to add interesting dynamics, such as economic lenses, to our work. We are making strides in our global reach and presence with more associates in the Africa region and are starting to plant a flag in the Asia region.

Going forward, SAEDI Consulting will be emphasising, even more, a focus on intersectional vulnerabilities and analyses as well as expanding our work with the LGBTQI+ community, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and other groups including Indigenous Peoples (IPs), to enhance the intentionality of our work about and with them.

We are truly grateful for the journey so far and the growth that came along with it. Thank you for being a part of our story. Here’s to many more milestones together! Happy 4th Anniversary, SAEDI!

Leisa Perch

SAEDI @ 4 | Reel of Reflection

OUR PROJECTS

NGO CSW69 Parallel Event | Countering Anti-Gender Movements: Intersectional Solutions for Gender Equity

On March 21, 2025, SAEDI Consulting (Barbados) Inc. and the Society of Gender Professionals (SGP) co-hosted a hybrid event at NGO CSW69 titled "Countering Anti-Gender Movements: Intersectional Solutions for Gender Equity", drawing over 150 active global participants. Held both in-person at the Salvation Army in New York and online, the session featured panelists from diverse regions and fields who tackled the growing political and social influence of anti-gender movements. The discussion spotlighted their impact on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and/or Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) rights, climate justice, and labor, and highlighted feminist strategies for resistance, from grassroots to institutional levels. Key messages emphasized the need for youth engagement, Global South leadership, evidence-based advocacy, and genuine partnerships with marginalized communities to advance gender equity under the Beijing+30 and 2030 agendas.

NGO CSW69 Parallel Event | Countering Anti-Gender Movements: Intersectional Solutions for Gender Equity - 1
NGO CSW69 Parallel Event | Countering Anti-Gender Movements: Intersectional Solutions for Gender Equity - 2

“Our NGO CSW69 Parallel Event was our third collaboration with the Society of Gender Professionals (SGP). As gender professionals, it is essential for us to collaborate around events such as this one. Being part of the event and one of the first speakers was both a privilege and an opportunity for my own growth and thinking about how I conduct myself within this space. It was amazing to be in the team, have Caribbean representation from our powerful speakers, and to have conversations with attendees like students who are trying to navigate their lives and their role in social activism. Thinking about gender backlash and anti-gender movements forces us to think about current politics, what we want to say and how we want to engage with people in this space. We must be unafraid and willing to use our voices to speak on critical issues around gender.”

Leisa Perch

IIED Publication | Understanding Barriers to Women's Participation in UN Climate Negotiations

The research report titled "Understanding barriers to women’s participation in the UN climate negotiations: perspectives from the least developed countries" was released by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), in collaboration with SAEDI Consulting. It examines the barriers limiting women’s participation in UN climate negotiations, particularly within Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The research, led by our Managing Director Leisa Perch, Project Manager Kwasi Pierre, and Research Associate Jacqueline Massiah-Simeon, working closely with the IIED team - including co-authors Tracy C. Kajumba, María Fernanda Alcobé and Elaine Harty - and an Advisory Group, highlights the roles of financial constraints, cultural norms, and systemic biases, while spotlighting promising national efforts in Mozambique, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone to strengthen gender parity. The report calls for enhanced policies, funding, training, and support systems to create a more inclusive and effective climate negotiation process. Read it here: https://www.iied.org/22603iied

IIED Publication | Understanding Barriers to Women's Participation in UN Climate Negotiations - 1

“As always, with each project I am faced with something I have not done before. This project was no different. As we celebrate 4 years of hard work, I would have to say that my most exciting project was the IIED research, "Understanding Barriers to Women's Participation in UN Climate Change Negotiations". First of all, there was the scale of this project that was exciting, as we were engaging 30+ LDCs across Africa and Asia. It was such a revelation to hear of the experiences of people from countries I had only read about. I was particularly in awe of the powerhouses that were the women from the African continent. My greatest satisfaction came from developing the case studies of 3 countries. It was a significant learning curve, but I was immensely proud to see those final pieces. This research was different from the usual consultancies, as we were working towards a publication, and for me, both my descriptive writing and stakeholder engagement skills were sharpened on this project, and I was very proud to see my name on that publication. I can only see SAEDI getting stronger as we move ahead, and I am happy to be along for this journey.”

Jacqueline Massiah-Simeon

Barbados Accelerating Transition to Resilient Agrifood Systems (BATRAS)

BATRAS, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and to be executed by the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC), aims to enhance the resilience of Barbados’ agricultural sector to climate change while promoting gender-sensitive, low-emission practices. As part of the project development, our Managing Director Leisa Perch was contracted as the Gender Expert. With support from the SAEDI team, a Gender Analysis was conducted and a project-specific Gender Action Plan was developed. Ms. Perch also conducted field visits and led detailed stakeholder consultations with 49 farmers across Barbados.

Barbados Accelerating Transition to Resilient Agrifood Systems (BATRAS) - 1
Barbados Accelerating Transition to Resilient Agrifood Systems (BATRAS) - 2

“Supporting on the BATRAS project, an individual contract for our Managing Director, offered a treasured opportunity to contribute to climate resilience efforts in Barbados by documenting the insights and lived realities of smallholder farmers throughout the country. One of the most meaningful aspects of this work was the ability to capture and uplift the voices of farmers who remain on the frontline of national food security but are also most intimately affected by climate-related challenges. The ability to translate their experiences into a structured, evidence-based report, in the hope of supporting broader efforts to help farmers shoulder the burden of climate change, has been priceless. This process strengthened my skills in thematic analysis, data synthesis and stakeholder-focused communication, while expanding my understanding of the systemic and intersecting barriers facing rural agricultural communities in Barbados. The project also showcased the power of inclusive documentation to inform more grounded, responsive and equitable programming in the climate and agriculture spaces.”

Latoya Charles

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Multi-Country Soil Management Initiative for Integrated Landscape Restoration and Climate-Resilient Food Systems – CSIDS SOILCARE Phase II

CSIDS SOILCARE Phase II is a regional project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and executed by the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM). It aims to strengthen CSIDS with the necessary tools to adopt and implement measures, policies, and legal and institutional frameworks to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and Climate Resilience. As part of project preparation, Roberts Caribbean Ltd. - Environmental and Development Consulting Firm, Ms. Dianne Roberts contracted the SAEDI Consulting team, led by Managing Director Leisa Perch as the Gender, Environmental, and Social Specialist. SAEDI supported the gender assessment, gender action plan, Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) screening for the project and provided inputs to the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP). Read more about the project here: https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/11390

Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Multi-Country Soil Management Initiative for Integrated Landscape Restoration and Climate-Resilient Food Systems – CSIDS SOILCARE Phase II - 1
Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Multi-Country Soil Management Initiative for Integrated Landscape Restoration and Climate-Resilient Food Systems – CSIDS SOILCARE Phase II - 2

“As someone with a purely environmental background, working on SOILCARE Phase II as my first project at SAEDI expanded my knowledge of the gendered impact of environmental issues and contributed to a more informed understanding of how multifaceted gender and gender-based work are. Supporting with the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the project inspired me to think more deeply about the meaningful inclusion of stakeholders from marginalised groups such as women, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ITPs) and ways to ensure that their valuable perspectives and experiences are accounted for. This process helped deepen my understanding of inclusive stakeholder engagement principles and protocols, and the need to elevate the voices of marginalised groups in society who are otherwise often underrepresented and underserved.”

Shakirah Ali

Water Sector Resilience Nexus for Sustainability in Barbados (WSRN S-Barbados) Gender Audit

The WSRN S-Barbados project is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and executed by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) with oversight from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC). SAEDI Consulting was contracted to perform the WSRN-S Gender Audit, to develop a baseline for measuring gender mainstreaming progress for a project under CCCCC’s implementation. The audit explored a number of issues of gender-based performance for climate projects. We are excited about the potential of this in supporting other national and regional projects.

“This project addressed a critical gap that I'm passionate about: distinguishing between superficial gender inclusion and meaningful transformation in climate adaptation programming. Many projects achieve participation targets but lack tools to assess whether women's and other vulnerable group's involvement creates genuine empowerment and structural change. By disaggregating throughputs, outputs, outcomes and impact we also were better able to unpack and elaborate key elements of project gender performance of this project and other projects. I'm most proud of developing a 100-point Gender Integration Scorecard - a practical tool enabling gender champions to move from compliance-based reporting to evidence-based strategic interventions. This tool helps practitioners systematically assess power dynamics, intersectional vulnerabilities, and transformative outcomes, providing immediate value for strengthening gender mainstreaming advocacy and programming effectiveness across climate resilience initiatives.”

Sara Lavell

Maldives/ UNEP Toward Risk-Aware and Climate-resilienT communities (TRACT)

Toward Risk-Aware and Climate-resilienT communities (TRACT) - Strengthening climate services and impact-based multi-hazard early warning in Maldives is being executed by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MTE), Republic of Maldives and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It aims to protect the Maldives from climate threats and will contribute to GCF’s support of the Early Warning Systems for All initiative. Ms. Perch was contracted by the UNEP as the project's Gender Specialist. With support from the SAEDI Consulting team, key activities were conducted including the development of a gender assessment and Gender Action Plan (GAP) and the provision of recommendations aligned with Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) perspectives. Learn more about the project here: https://www.greenclimate.fund/project/sap050.

Maldives/ UNEP Toward Risk-Aware and Climate-resilienT communities (TRACT) - 1

“This assignment was a fascinating one and my/our first time doing work focused directly/exclusively on early-warning systems (EWS) and in South Asia. From a gender lens, my part of the project explored a variety of needs linked to safety and security, livelihoods, business continuity, post-disaster contexts, transportation/mobility, and climate adaptation. It was important for someone from a Caribbean SIDS to do this work in a SIDS in another region and there was a lot of learning that came from being there. The context encouraged me to think of the needs of migrants, migrant workers and tourists who may not speak the language. Another key element was the role of existing governance mechanisms such as a Women’s Council. It also encouraged thinking about the sociocultural and potentially religio-cultural aspects which influence or should intersectional analysis and a strategic, practical way of thinking. I am proud of the emerging analysis, the Gender Assessment and the recommendations we provided from a GEDSI perspective, particularly for engagement of persons with disabilities (PWDs). This translated into the way our Gender Needs Framework (GNF) and our Gender Action Plans (GAPs) look including on issues of mobility as well as positive norms and culture.”

Leisa Perch

St. Kitts and Nevis Readiness Project (KNA-RS-005)

The St. Kitts and Nevis Readiness Project (KNA-RS-005) led by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), focuses on the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). As part of its development, SAEDI Consulting was contracted to support gender mainstreaming efforts and actions through several deliverables including a gender assessment, gender action plan and a climate and gender awareness strategy.

St. Kitts and Nevis Readiness Project (KNA-RS-005) - 1
St. Kitts and Nevis Readiness Project (KNA-RS-005) - 2

“Gender mainstreaming is critical across all areas of work and it is crucial to build the capacity of persons to understand and integrate gender considerations into their work as well as to empower them to become active agents of change in addressing issues such as climate change. It was a pleasure to directly engage with a diversity of stakeholders as part of the gender analysis and gap assessment under the KNA-RS-005 programme to understand stakeholders’ experiences and needs first-hand and to ensure that our recommendations under the project see them as not just beneficiaries, but as partners in and drivers of more inclusive, equitable, gender-responsive, community-driven and sustainable climate action in the context of the NDC for St. Kitts and Nevis. ”

Shakirah Ali

BCRC-Caribbean GEF ISLANDS 10279 & 10472 Projects/Fiona Handl & Associates

The global "Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small Island Developing States (ISLANDS)" programme is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and supports Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including those in the Caribbean, with managing chemicals and waste. It is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and executed by BCRC Caribbean. The SAEDI Consulting team was contracted by Fiona Pompey-Handl and Associates to perform the socioeconomic and vulnerable group analysis for 12 Caribbean SIDS including Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Learn more about the project here: https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/10279 and https://www.bcrc-caribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ISLANDS-10279-10472-project-briefs.pdf.

“This project helped me recognise how current legislation and infrastructure remain largely non-responsive or voluntary, limiting effective inclusion for marginalised populations such as children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and women. The lack of gender disaggregated data hampers understanding of how waste management practices impact these groups socially, economically, and health-wise. Vulnerable populations are often exposed to hazards due to inadequate policies, lack of targeted infrastructure, and limited participation in decision-making. Additionally, through this project, I significantly enhanced my writing and report development skills by analysing complex information, synthesising key findings, and presenting them clearly and concisely. I learned to evaluate sources critically, organise data logically, and articulate insights in a structured manner.”

Roshanna Ramdass

Road Sector Resilience Index (RSRI) Application Project

RSRI, implemented by DT Global for the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), focuses on the road transport sector across 16 of the CDB's Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) in the Caribbean. The project aims to integrate gender-sensitive climate change and disaster resilience measures into the sector. SAEDI Consulting executed the gender and social assessment of the road infrastructure to assess climate change resilience in the BMCs. We also performed a field mission in each country and conducted an in-country workshop with key governmental stakeholders to validate the findings of the country workbooks. The project has strengthened the capacity of CDB Borrowing Member Countries to provide road infrastructure that is more resilient to natural hazards and climate change impacts while ensuring that they are also accessible to vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, children, youth, the elderly and the poor.

Road Sector Resilience Index (RSRI) Application Project - 1
Road Sector Resilience Index (RSRI) Application Project - 2

“Caribean countries' road networks and transportation sectors are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to proximity to coastal areas and susceptibility to flooding which are further compunded limited financial and technical resources to support climate adaptative action. Current practices for transporation sector climate adaptation are primarily centred on the environmental and technical factors related to the roadways and rarely account for the diversity of needs, usage and accessibility of these roads and other infrastructure. The gendered reality of how differing users access the roads or associated transport facilities are underrepresented in the decisions made for planned climate interventions, indicating a need to enhance the engagement, participation and representation of various groups within these processes.”

Kwasi Pierre

UWI Inequality of Risk Chapter

For an upcoming book developed by the University of the West Indies (UWI), SAEDI Consulting provided a chapter on the ‘Inequality of Risk’ in the context of climate change and natural hazards. The chapter was authored by Tanya Wragg-Morris and Leisa Perch, with graphics support from Junior Research Associate, Sai Sonali Anmolsingh.

UWI Inequality of Risk Chapter - 1

“Drawing on literature, post-disaster needs assessments, and incorporating our own work on the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations, we built a case for inclusive climate action, disaster recovery and risk mitigation. The chapter discusses how marginalised groups, already experiencing multiple disadvantages (social, economic, and geographic), face greater impacts and higher risk from climate related hazards than others. Exploring the topic of the ‘inequality of risk’ and collaborating with team members to develop impactful graphics that represented the concepts and solutions of the chapter were key highlights of the project.”

Tanya Wragg-Morris

BIOREACH

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, Biodiversity Conservation and Agro-ecological Land Restoration in Productive Landscapes of Trinidad and Tobago (BIOREACH), is being co-executed by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and NAMDEVCO. The project aims to promote the conservation of biodiversity, restore degraded lands and improve the livelihoods of rural communities involved in agriculture, forestry and other land uses throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Our Managing Director, Leisa Perch is contracted by the EMA as the Gender and Youth Specialist to develop and implement a Gender and Youth Action Plan (GYAP). As part of the consultancy and with support from the SAEDI Consulting team, the GYAP, along with other key deliverables were developed, including Gender-responsive Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Guidelines to support project implementation. In-country missions in 2024 and 2025 were also part of this ongoing consultancy. Learn more about BIOREACH here: https://www.thegef.org/project...

BIOREACH - 1

“As part of the recently completed mission in Trinidad and Tobago, it was great to be in both islands and go into the field to meet the beneficiaries and those driving the work at the community level through, for example, identifying learning sites for the community. It was a unique experience meeting with the casual workers doing site preparation and planting work which are key to the riparian restoration aspects of the project. I was struck by the level of enthusiasm, commitment, knowledge and the appreciation people had. It was inspiring to hear the casual workers (both male and female and of various ages, I am proud to say) talking about the knowledge they gained about plants and trees, for example. My experience with BIOREACH really stood out as it allowed me and the SAEDI team through the sharing and support provided, to delve into the socioecological aspects of projects and explore what that means for project outputs, outcomes and impacts as well as the pace of these across the life of a project.”

Leisa Perch

Read the full report here...