THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE, HEALTH, MIGRATION, ARMED CONFLICTS AND GENDER INEQUALITY

4th February 2026 | 11.30 – 13.00 CET

Description

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly entwined with the consequences of other major global issues. The first two CASSANDRA Conferences identified health, migration, gender equality and armed conflicts as the principal issues to be addressed by the CASSANDRA initiative. In this session, we will explore the nexus between these causes of enormous suffering and unjustifiable inequality. Issues such as the broadening gap between those who exploit and those who are exploited will be featured, whilst the increase of social crises such as internal displacement, sexploitation, suicide and local and regional violence will be explained in relation to society’s failure to address climate-related issues.

Presenter:

  • DR. RICHARD ELELMAN, Head of Politics, Eurecat and Leader of Cassandra

Speakers in this session:

  • TATIANA KOTLYARENKO, Award Winning International Expert on Violence against Women and Girls and Human Trafficking

  • HADEEL FAIDI, Head of Gaza Recuperation, Palestine Water Authority

  • RIPTOYA KANANO ELEMA, Chief Executive Officer, Move Northern Kenya

  • VICTORIA GONCHARUK, Trustee, Restart Foundation

  • DIEGO OSORIO, Senior Policy Advisor, Government of Canada

  • MARIA PINZON, Water Systems Strengthening Global Manager, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Speakers in this session

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatiana_Kotlyarenko

TATIANA KOTLYARENKO

Award Winning International Expert on Violence against Women and Girls and Human Trafficking

Tatiana Kotlyarenko is an international expert and speaker on violence against women and girls and human trafficking. She currently serves as a member of the G20 IF20 Human Trafficking Working Group. She was the Advisor on Anti-Trafficking Issues at OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights from 2016-2023. She worked on the 2nd edition of the National Referral Mechanisms – Joining Efforts to Protect the Rights of Trafficked Persons: A Practical Handbook and Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as providing technical support and capacity building to combat trafficking in human beings to OSCE participating states. In response to the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, which especially impacts women and children, Tatiana conducted rapid assessment missions and provided recommendations to countries on how to prevent and address trafficking of Ukrainian women and children.  In addition, Tatiana works on issues related to sexual violence in conflict. She has been the recipient of the Last Girl Awards in 2022 and is a member of BMW Responsible Leaders.

https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/organisations/palestinian-water-authority-pwahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/palestinian-water-authority/?originalSubdomain=es

HADEEL FAIDI

Head of Gaza Recuperation, PALESTINE WATER AUTHORITY

Faidi leads sector-wide planning, emergency coordination, and the formulation of Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction frameworks at PWA. She represents the Authority in the National Reconstruction Team, the Government Operations Room for the Southern Governorates, and key WASH and donor coordination fora. She co-chairs the Gaza Water Thematic Group, ensuring coordinated technical planning and priority-setting across government entities, humanitarian partners, and donors.

Her technical portfolio covers large-scale infrastructure damage assessments, multi-phase water and wastewater reconstruction strategies, and the coordination of major investment programmes aligned with national regulatory frameworks. Regionally, she contributes to the Union for the Mediterranean Water Agenda, including WATFIN and WEFE Nexus processes, supporting the mobilization of EFSD+ and NDICI financing instruments to strengthen water security in Palestine.

https://instagram.com/movenorthernkenya?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

RIPTOYA KANANO ELEMA

Chief Executive Officer, Move Northern Kenya

Riptoya Kanano Elema is a dedicated environmentalist, entrepreneur, and global advocate whose work centres on the resilience and empowerment of pastoralist communities. As the CEO of Move Northern Kenya, she spearheads vital reforestation and youth-led climate advocacy initiatives, such as the “Regreen Northern Kenya” project, to combat land degradation in arid regions through innovative methods like seedball dispersal. Beyond grassroots action, she actively leads local climate forums across Northern Kenya, ensuring the voices of those on the front lines of environmental change are prioritized. Her advocacy has reached the global stage, most notably when she presented the specific needs and traditional knowledge of Northern Kenyan communities at the LCIPP Pre-COP conference in Brazil.
In addition to her environmental leadership, Riptoya is the founder of Nomasil Threads, a “heritage-tech” jewelry and textile brand that blends traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation. Under her leadership, the brand has expanded its global footprint, successfully participating in the Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Tourism Festival in Quanzhou, China. This exhibition marked a significant milestone for the brand, showcasing the richness of indigenous artistry to an international audience and fostering cross-cultural exchange.
A graduate of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in International Relations, Riptoya is further advancing her expertise through a UNESCO-funded specialization in AI and Transition at Oxford University. She also serves as a youth representative for the KNATCOM-UNESCO secretariat, remaining a powerful force at the intersection of cultural preservation, technological advancement, and climate justice.
https://restart-foundation.org/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatiana_Kotlyarenko

VICTORIA GONCHARUK

Trustee, Restart Foundation

Victoria is currently a member of the Sustainable Development Team of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, based in New York.
Prior to her move to the US in 2020, Victoria worked for the EU Delegation to Ukraine, in Kyiv.
She also worked for the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine; the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); and the Ukrainian NGO “Sunshine for people affected by Chernobyl NPPD.”
Victoria has also worked as a translator for various international TV Channels, including ARTE (France) and TBS (Japan).
Victoria has a specialist degree in Linguistics and Translation (from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and has been studying Analytical Psychology at the European Psychology School since 2021.
Victoria is passionate about psychology and understands the importance of good mental health in daily life. In her free time she works to deepen her understanding of the subject.
She cares deeply about animal rights and their welfare.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegoosoriocanada/?originalSubdomain=ca

DIEGO OSORIO

Senior Policy Advisor, GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

Several years of international multilateral and bilateral experience with an array of humanitarian, development, and diplomatic institutions ranging from the World Bank, UN agencies, NATO and the Canadian foreign service.
Diego has delivered strategic and operational policy analysis and advice on the implementation of diplomatic, humanitarian and development initiatives, both in multilateral and bilateral contexts.
He has conceived and managed humanitarian, civil society support, media development, post-conflict institutional and socio-economic reconstruction projects in challenging development contexts on behalf of bilateral and multilateral agencies.
Diego is a research fellow and lecturer for master degree’s level courses on humanitarian, peace-building, peacekeeping issues, aid and post-conflict reconstruction.
He has a well established record in the development and implementation of capacity building strategies and programmes in a broad range of contexts, covering humanitarian, development, economic, trade issues, and peace building processes.
WebsiteLinkedin

MARIA PINZON

Water Systems Strengthening Global Manager, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Faidi leads sector-wide planning, emergency coordination, and the formulation of Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction frameworks at PWA. She represents the Authority in the National Reconstruction Team, the Government Operations Room for the Southern Governorates, and key WASH and donor coordination fora. She co-chairs the Gaza Water Thematic Group, ensuring coordinated technical planning and priority-setting across government entities, humanitarian partners, and donors.

Her technical portfolio covers large-scale infrastructure damage assessments, multi-phase water and wastewater reconstruction strategies, and the coordination of major investment programmes aligned with national regulatory frameworks. Regionally, she contributes to the Union for the Mediterranean Water Agenda, including WATFIN and WEFE Nexus processes, supporting the mobilization of EFSD+ and NDICI financing instruments to strengthen water security in Palestine.