As a woman from the global South, addressing the exclusion on of women is a matter of life and death. The appreciation for gender equality and women’s empowerment has led me to develop more than 40 national policies, sustainable development Conventions, and relevant finance mechanisms to embrace and advance women’s rights by creating transversal and powerful partnerships. Costa Rica’s priority is to promote gender-responsive action in environmental conservation. As the Vice Minister of the Foreign Ministry, I focus on the innovative and inclusive ways in which women’s economic empowerment and agency can support sustainable development initiatives across environmental sectors.