Gender Inclusive Climate Finance

SEI Asia, a centre of Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) based in Bangkok, has a diverse team of multinational experts who integrate scientific research with participatory approaches to co-develop and share knowledge, build partnerships and influence policy for resilient development. SEI Asia’s work focuses on gender and social equity, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water insecurity and integrated water resources management, transitional agriculture, renewable energy and urbanization.

SEI Asia is an affiliate of Chulalongkorn University (CU), Thailand. SEI and CU have an agreement to foster innovative scientific research combined with effective policy engagement on development and environmental challenges in Asia. The key areas of collaboration are intellectual engagement for joint research applications and fund mobilization, lectures and seminars for CU students, postgraduate supervision and examination, and CU–SEI employee links.

About the internship

The Gender, Environment and Justice team at SEI Asia is seeking a motivated intern to contribute to the Inclusive Climate Finance for Vulnerable Communities in Asia Pacific (ICCAP) project.

The ICCAP project (2024–2029) is funded by the German Federal Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by a consortium comprising the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Appui au Développement Autonome (ADA) and the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA).

The project focuses on improving and scaling up inclusive public and private climate adaptation finance flows to marginalized groups – such as low-income women, smallholder farmers, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities – in climate-vulnerable communities across six countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Lao PDR and Nepal. To achieve this, ICCAP works along several interconnected tracks. It supports policymakers and regulators in developing evidence-based frameworks, helps financial service providers design client-centric green financial products and services, mobilizes blended finance through a Regional Adaptation Investment Facility, and co-develops adaptation solutions with local communities through multistakeholder action labs that bring together diverse actors to address barriers to financing adaptation.

ICCAP has a dedicated cross-cutting work package (WP5) on gender equity and social inclusion (GESI), which generates evidence and provides research, technical guidance, tools and resources to embed an intersectional gender lens across all project activities and outcomes. WP5 supports inclusive implementation through GESI capacity strengthening for project partners and key boundary partners, while also piloting gender-transformative approaches to shift the underlying social norms that shape institutional practices and community structures – the root causes of unequal access to, control over and benefit from climate adaptation finance.

The intern will join the WP5 team and contribute to GESI review and analysis of the national policies, regulations and institutional dynamics shaping the flow of inclusive climate adaptation finance in each of the six countries, while supporting wider WP5 delivery.

Aims

The internship aims to give a master’s student or recent graduate applied experience in GESI analysis, supporting GESI integration in inclusive climate finance policy and practice within a multi-country international development project in Asia-Pacific. Working across six country contexts, the intern will develop skills in policy and institutional analysis, stakeholder engagement, and communicating research to support policy and accelerate implementation, and will gain a practical understanding of inclusive climate finance frameworks, mechanisms and gender integration approaches.

Scope and approach

The role is primarily desk-based at the SEI Asia office in Bangkok, Thailand, with potential opportunities to support in-country delivery of policy workshops. The intern will focus mainly on supporting GESI integration into the policy workstream of the ICCAP project, and will develop an understanding of the climate finance policy and regulatory landscape through engagement with a diverse range of actors across the six project countries, including policymakers, regulators, central banks, financial service providers and civil society organizations.

Beyond the core policy analysis, the intern will have the opportunity to contribute to and learn from WP5’s wider delivery, including GESI capacity strengthening, the development of technical guidance and tools, and gender-transformative pilot implementation. Exposure to the full scope of ICCAP’s activities through meetings, events and coordination will provide deeper insight into how development projects supporting inclusive climate finance are designed and implemented.

The intern will be treated as a full member of the team throughout the six-month placement, with opportunities to co-author deliverables; take part in team meetings, internal seminars and relevant project events; and engage with SEI staff through team and monthly employee meetings and learning events in the office.

Key tasks

As an intern within the ICCAP project, you will:

• Conduct GESI policy analysis and literature reviews to identify key policy barriers, enablers and best practices for attracting private investment in climate adaptation and channelling it to marginalized groups in climate-vulnerable communities across the six project countries.
• Support stakeholder mapping, institutional analysis and key informant interviews to examine policymaking dynamics from a GESI perspective and identify entry points for more inclusive climate finance governance.
• Contribute to drafting, writing and finalizing knowledge products, including reports, policy briefs and presentations.
• Contribute to broader WP5 activities as needed, including GESI capacity strengthening and technical guidance for project partners and key boundary partners.

Expected deliverables

By the end of the internship, the intern will have contributed to:

• Literature and policy reviews on inclusive climate finance policy design and implementation, and the development of key policy recommendations to improve GESI outcomes.
• Stakeholder mapping and institutional analysis, particularly from a GESI perspective.
• Knowledge products emerging from the policy review process, including reports, policy briefs and presentations.
• Capacity strengthening workshops for policymakers, regulators and relevant policy actors.

The intern will also be expected to give a short presentation to SEI Asia staff reflecting on key learnings from the internship.

Supervision and support

The intern will be a member of the Gender, Environment and Justice team at SEI Asia and will be directly supervised by Clare Steiner. They will work closely with the WP5 team and the wider ICCAP consortium, with regular check-ins to support progress and professional development.

Candidate profile

Required qualifications and competencies:

• Enrolled in a master’s degree programme in gender studies, public policy, development or a related field, or recently completed a master’s degree.
• Familiarity with gender, environment and development linkages.
• Familiarity with qualitative research methods.
• Fluent in English, with excellent writing, research and communication skills.

Desirable competencies:

• Experience conducting GESI analysis, particularly in literature and policy reviews, and familiarity with critical social science frameworks (e.g. feminist political ecology, intersectionality).
• Experience engaging with policy processes, including supporting policy dialogue, stakeholder consultations or policy advocacy related to gender, environment, finance and other relevant areas.
• Experience in stakeholder mapping and outreach, including identifying key actors, building relationships and facilitating multi-stakeholder engagement across diverse groups.
• Relevant research and professional experience in one or more of the six ICCAP countries.

Internship period

The internship will run for six months, with an approximate start date of 1 September 2026 and an end date of 28 February 2027. There is some flexibility on the end date in special circumstances; however, priority will be given to candidates available for the full duration.

Questions?

Questions about the internship can be directed to Clare Steiner, Research Associate: [email protected].

About SEI

Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research institute that tackles environment and sustainable development challenges.

We empower partners to meet these challenges through cutting-edge research, knowledge, tools and capacity building. Scientific quality and integrity are foundations of our work. Partnership is at the heart of our approach, leading to change that lasts.

Our work connects science to policy and practice, aiming to drive tangible impacts. It spans climate change, natural resources, water, air and health, and addresses questions of governance, innovation, finance, poverty, gender equality and social equity.

We are committed to transparency and full disclosure of our funding. The Government of Sweden is our largest funder, and we also receive funds from a range of public research funders, philanthropic foundations, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, governments, NGOs and other partners.

Through SEI’s HQ and seven centres around the world, we engage with policy, practice and development action for a sustainable, prosperous future for all.