Scaling Up Mainstreaming Gender and Social Inclusion under UNFCCC Processes

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) are calling upon countries to take comprehensive and transformative actions to integrate gender considerations into climate change, biodiversity, and environmental policies and programmes. This will ensure more effective and sustainable interventions, while  avoiding exacerbating existing inequalities and other vulnerabilities.

This subprogramme aims to:

• Enhance evidence demonstrating multiple benefits of women's inclusion in climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and environmental management.
• Identify synergies in gender transformative approaches advancing gender mainstreaming in climate change, biodiversity use and conservation.
• Support pilot countries and global gender experts to develop innovative methodologies and approaches to measure gendered impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss.
• Build the capacity of countries to develop and implement inclusive and gender-responsive policies and programmes in agrifood systems, specifically in: National Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and, other national strategies and plans related to food and agriculture.

The subprogramme’s implementation will be led by the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) at FAO headquarters (HQs), working closely with Government counterparts and the Convention secretariats. Technical expertise will also be provided by gender experts in the Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) and other relevant divisions and offices at FAO HQs. The Ministries of Agriculture will serve as the primary counterparts, collaborating with FAO to deliver subprogramme activities on the ground. The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in the selected countries will also be crucial national partners due to their responsibility for relevant thematic areas. A Steering Committee comprising the representatives of ministries and responsible officers from FAO HQs, and Regional and National Offices may be formed to provide overall guidance for the subprogramme’s implementation.