Efforts to promote inclusive participation in community-based adaptation projects highlight the importance of giving those most vulnerable to climate change a voice. This paper explores the involvement and inclusion of women in participatory spaces in the Decentralized Climate Funds pilot project in Senegal to evaluate whether only the voices and demands of the powerful and vocal few were raised and heard. Using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, the paper explores and analyzes the factors motivating and constraining women’s active and empowered meaningful participation. The findings reveal that women in the Kaffrine region of Senegal experienced different levels of participation in community decision-making, ranging from nominal and passive participation to active and substantive participation. Results highlight that women’s social capital and networks, community-level recognition of women’s role in income generation, and favorable intrahousehold power dynamics were instrumental in encouraging active and empowered participation. The paper finds that the community-based adaptation approach of devolving decision-making to the community level is by itself not sufficient to ensure that women can meaningfully access the participatory process. Future community-based adaptation initiatives can improve their approach and ensure that women are able to voice their needs by understanding the local gender dynamics and designing projects to acknowledge and work within those dynamics.

促进包容各方参与基于社区的适应项目的努力凸显了让最易受气候变化影响的人们发出声音的重要性。本文探讨了塞内加尔“分散式气候基金”试点项目中妇女在参与性空间中的参与和包容性，以评估是否仅提出并听到了少数有权势者的声音和要求。本文使用半结构化访谈和焦点小组讨论，探索和分析了激励和限制妇女积极参与和赋权有意义的参与的因素。调查结果表明，塞内加尔卡夫林地区的妇女在社区决策中的参与程度不同，从名义和被动参与到主动和实质性参与。结果表明，妇女的社会资本和网络，社区一级对妇女在创收中的作用的认识以及有利的家庭内部权力动态有助于鼓励积极和有能力的参与。该文件发现，将决策权下放到社区一级的基于社区的适应方法本身不足以确保妇女能够有意义地参与其中。未来基于社区的适应计划可以改善其方法，并通过了解当地的性别动态并设计项目以承认并在这些动态中开展工作，确保妇女能够表达自己的需求。有利的家庭内部动力机制有助于鼓励积极和授权的参与。该文件发现，将决策权下放到社区一级的基于社区的适应方法本身不足以确保妇女能够有意义地参与其中。未来基于社区的适应计划可以改善其方法，并通过了解当地的性别动态并设计项目以承认并在这些动态中开展工作，确保妇女能够表达自己的需求。有利的家庭内部动力机制有助于鼓励积极和授权的参与。该文件发现，将决策权下放到社区一级的基于社区的适应方法本身不足以确保妇女能够有意义地参与其中。未来基于社区的适应计划可以改善其方法，并通过了解当地的性别动态并设计项目以承认并在这些动态中开展工作，确保妇女能够表达自己的需求。