Integrating Gender Equality in Climate Strategies: A Path to Sustainable and Inclusive Development

The UNDP’s "Gender Front & Centre" report highlights the importance of integrating gender-responsive approaches in climate and forest actions, showcasing how early investments in gender equality led to greater participation and empowerment of women in five key jurisdictions. Despite progress, challenges like sexism and structural barriers remain, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to embed gender equality in policies and climate strategies.

Research authored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Government of Norway, examines the integration of gender-responsive approaches within climate and forest actions through the Governors' Climate & Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force). The report focuses on efforts in five key jurisdictions Pastaza (Ecuador), Pará (Brazil), West Kalimantan (Indonesia), and Jalisco and Yucatán (Mexico) where projects aimed to reduce deforestation and support low-emission development were implemented. The study draws from the readiness phase (2018-2020) and the implementation phase (2021-2023) of funding provided under the Norway Pledge, and emphasizes the importance of embedding gender equality into climate strategies from the beginning of the project cycle. Through partnerships with civil society organizations such as The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional (NCI), and WWF México, the report showcases how gender-sensitive policies can be applied to achieve equitable participation of men and women in climate action.

Integrating Gender into Climate Action Yields Results

The report highlights that incorporating gender-responsive approaches into project design can significantly contribute to positive gender equality outcomes. Jurisdictions that made early investments in gender activities, budgets, and monitoring frameworks reported greater participation of women, both in terms of quantity and quality, in project activities. This approach helped elevate women’s roles in decision-making processes, increased their recognition as key actors in forest management and agricultural activities, and secured land titles and access to financial incentives for many women, particularly in marginalized communities. These outcomes were made possible because the jurisdictions prioritized gender-responsive project design, ensuring that activities were supported by gender-specific indicators and adequately funded to promote women’s inclusion throughout the project lifecycle.

Data Collection: A Key to Success

As data collection improved during the project, jurisdictions were able to gather more frequent and higher-quality gender-related data, which helped identify gender barriers and adapt project activities accordingly. This data-driven approach allowed for more agile responses to challenges, increasing the likelihood that gender targets were met by the end of the funding period. In particular, the report notes the importance of collecting qualitative data through perception surveys to measure not just the participation of women but also the quality of their involvement in decision-making processes. For example, in some jurisdictions, project teams tracked whether women expressed opinions during meetings and whether their contributions were accepted or incorporated into project decisions. This method of data collection went beyond mere headcounts, providing insights into the effectiveness of women’s participation and the impact of gender-responsive policies.

Elevating Women as Leaders and Partners

One of the key insights from the report is the need to recognize and value women as leaders, partners, and producers within climate action initiatives. In many jurisdictions, efforts were made to actively involve women in project design, implementation, and evaluation. Women from Indigenous and local communities were provided opportunities to lead decision-making processes, and project activities were tailored to include training and resources aimed at addressing gender gaps. The report highlights examples from Yucatán, where a focus on Indigenous women led to increased land rights for women and young people, and Jalisco, where gender-specific training sessions were designed to meet the needs of women participants, including those interested in business management and agricultural production.

Institutionalizing Gender Equality: Progress and Challenges

Despite the progress made in promoting gender equality, the report acknowledges that there is still more work to be done. Many jurisdictions have started to move from gender-responsive project activities toward embedding gender considerations into state-level policies and institutions. For instance, in Pará, the legal establishment of a technical group to focus on gender issues was considered a critical step in institutionalizing gender equality. However, structural barriers, such as sexism and racism, remain challenges to the full implementation of gender-responsive policies. These obstacles can prevent women from fully participating in and benefiting from climate and forest actions. Additionally, while men’s involvement in gender-specific activities is essential for advancing gender equality, the report highlights that more data is needed to evaluate the extent of men’s engagement in such activities.

A Path Forward for Gender-Responsive Climate Action

The findings from the GCF Task Force’s implementation phase suggest that advancing gender equality within climate action is a long-term process that requires consistent support and investment. The readiness phase laid the groundwork for the implementation phase, where jurisdictions were able to apply innovative gender-responsive approaches that were tailored to their specific contexts. While significant progress has been made, future funding and partnerships must continue to reinforce these efforts. The report concludes by emphasizing that gender-responsive climate and forest actions not only help address gender inequalities but also contribute to the broader goals of sustainable development and climate resilience. The lessons learned from these projects can be applied to future initiatives, both within and beyond the GCF Task Force network, to ensure that climate action is inclusive and benefits all genders equitably.