The UNCCD COP17 Women delegates negotiation training program 2026 for women delegates.

Applications are now open for the 2026 UNCCD COP17 Women delegates negotiation training program. The UNCCD secretariat is launching the second round of the UNCCD Women Delegates Fund (WDF) training ahead of COP17 to support the participation and effective engagement of women delegates in the UNCCD process and negotiations.

The UNCCD COP17 will convene in Ulaanbaatar from 17–28 August 2026 under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.” As the global conference of the only legally binding international treaty addressing land degradation and drought, COP17 is expected to bring together governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, youth, women’s organizations and the private sector to advance solutions for land restoration, drought resilience  and sustainable land management.

Requirements

• The initiative is open to women delegates from developing country Parties eligible under the UNCCD Special Trust Fund for Participation, with priority given to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). 

• Governments from all Regional Implementation Annexes are invited to nominate one eligible woman delegate from their official COP17 delegation.

The selection criteria are as follows:

• Under countries covered by the Special Trust Fund for Participation, all women
  designated as official delegates are eligible

• Parties may give special consideration to supporting women delegates from Indigenous
  Peoples, local communities, and civil society organizations

• Each Party may nominate one woman applicant

• Selection will be made on a “first come, first served” basis per Annex

• All Regional Implementation Annexes are expected to benefit equally from this
  opportunity

Selected participants will benefit from:

• Participation support for COP17

• Capacity-building and negotiation support activities

• Pre-COP briefings and networking opportunities with fellow women delegates

Application process

• Governments from all Regional Implementation Annexes are cordially invited to nominate qualified women, who will be members of their official delegation, for consideration under this funding opportunity.

• To make a nomination, please send a letter on Ministry letterhead signed by the National Focal Point (NFP) to gender@unccd.int with copy to your respective Regional Liaison Officer (RLO) in the secretariat and attaching the CV or short biography of the woman delegate proposed