Calais Caswell

Calais Caswell is a policy advisor on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) with IISD’s Resilience Program, including the Nature for Climate Adaptation Initiative. She supports research on nature-based solutions and climate adaptation with a focus on GESI. Calais also works with local partners, civil society, and government partners on a variety of gender- and nature-related initiatives in the Global South, including leading and supporting training and capacity building and informing the design of gender-responsive nature-based solutions.

Calais has over 10 years of experience in conducting research, writing policy analyses, and programming within the environment and GESI nexus. Prior to joining IISD, she was a senior technical specialist, GESI and Environment and Climate Change, with Mennonite Economic Development Associates and a sector specialist, gender and environment, with the Co-operative Development Foundation. In both roles, Calais contributed to thought leadership, strategy development, and implementation of gender and environment-related initiatives across Asia, East and West Africa, and the Americas.

Calais holds a master’s degree in globalization and international development and a bachelor’s degree in gender studies.