Rachel Mary Anne Arca Basas collaborates with ADB project teams to ensure the integration of gender priorities, actions, and targets across all stages of program and project lifecycles. She has worked with Southeast Asia and the Pacific teams in the sectors of agriculture, health, DRRM, finance, education, social protection, transport, urban, water, and public sector management. She has extensive experience in mainstreaming gender in various settings, particularly in donor-funded, government-implemented, and community-driven development projects. Before ADB, she held various specialist roles in academia and government; and various consulting roles with non-government organizations, private institutions, and international organizations such as UNDP. Her work extends to policy and guideline development with a gender lens, capacity building, knowledge product development, and project management. Rachel holds a Master of Project Management degree from The University of Sydney; a Master in International Studies from the University of the Philippines – Diliman; and a Bachelor’s Degree in Consular and Diplomatic Affairs from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Philippines. Rachel is also a Climate Reality Leader.
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Violence against women in the Pacific is among the highest in the world. Expanding structured counseling systems, strengthening training, and ensuring caregiver well-being are central to survivor-centered support.
Inclusive sports can empower women with disabilities, and foster accessibility, social integration, and gender equality in the Pacific. Recent Paralympic milestones and policy examples illustrate the ongoing need for supportive infrastructures and greater representation to create equitable opportunities in sports.
Inclusive financial practices are essential to support women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the Pacific. Innovative solutions, policy reforms, and capacity-building initiatives are needed to address the gender-finance gap. These strategies foster economic growth, poverty reduction, and more equitable access to financial resources.
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