Gender-Responsive Climate Policies | 28 Oct 2024

Source: DTE

Why in News?

A new synthesis report by the UN Climate Change secretariat highlights a rise in gender-responsive climate policies globally. 

• Since the adoption of the first UNFCCC Lima Work Programme on gender (LWPG) in 2014, and of the enhanced LWPG in 2019, gender integration in all reports and communications, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), has been increasing in quantity and quality. 

What are the Key Highlights of the Report? 

• Key Highlights: 
  • Increase in Gender References: Approximately 81% of Parties to the Paris Agreement have now included references to gender in their NDCs.  
    • This marks a significant improvement from 2015, when very few NDCs mentioned gender. 
  • Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms: About 62.3% of Parties highlighted efforts to enhance institutional mechanisms for integrating gender considerations into climate action. 
  • Gender Balance Initiatives: Approximately 11.5% of Parties detailed initiatives aimed at increasing gender balance and diversity among stakeholder groups involved in monitoring and evaluating adaptation efforts, particularly in agriculture, forestry, and water resources. 
• Need For Gender Responsiveness: 
  • Commitment to Gender Equality: Around 55.7% of Parties affirmed their commitment to gender equality in climate action, indicating a growing recognition of its importance. 
  • Impact on Food Security: The report identifies how climate change threatens food security across availability, accessibility, utilisation, and stability.  
    • Women, responsible for 45-80% of food production in developing countries, are disproportionately affected, particularly as traditional food sources become unreliable and food prices rise. 
  • Vulnerability Considerations: While the report emphasises women’s heightened vulnerability to climate change, it also notes that men in vulnerable situations are often overlooked in policy planning. 
• Recommendations & Future Aspect: 
  • Enhancing Climate Initiatives: Stakeholders view gender-responsive strategies as essential for improving the ambition and effectiveness of climate initiatives.  
    • Most Parties reiterated their commitment to promoting gender equality as a fundamental aspect of climate action. 
  • Global Stocktake Outcomes: The outcomes of the first Global Stocktake, agreed upon at the 28th Conference of Parties to UNFCCC, encourage Parties to implement gender-responsive climate policies and actions. 
  • Next Round of NDCs (NDCs 3.0): The upcoming submission of NDCs in 2025 presents a critical opportunity to strengthen collaborative efforts towards achieving gender equality and effective climate outcomes. 

Why Does Gender Equality Matter in Climate Action? 

• Impact on Agriculture: Women play a vital role in agricultural production but lack equal access to resources, services, and decision-making processes.  
  • If women smallholders had the same access to resources as men, farm yields could increase by 20-30%, potentially alleviating hunger for 100-150 million people and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2.1 gigatons by 2050. 
• Land Ownership and Resource Control: Women make up a third of the global agricultural workforce but only 12.6% of landowners.  
  • This disparity restricts their access to agricultural aid and increases their vulnerability due to limited information on adaptation techniques and cropping patterns. 
• Decision-Making and Climate Leadership: Involving women in climate-related decision-making is essential for creating effective climate policies.  
  • However, women often undertake 75% of unpaid care work globally, which limits their participation. Climate-induced disasters further burden women, especially as they assist in household and community recovery. 
• Impact on Education and Employment: Climate stressors can restrict access to education and labor markets for women and girls, perpetuating disempowerment. 
  • In disaster situations, the risk of gender-based violence increases, highlighting the need for access to quality services and meaningful participation in decision-making. 

How can Gender-Responsive Climate Policies be Improved?

• Conducting Gender Analysis: Assessing how climate change affects men and women differently helps identify inequalities and gaps in resource distribution and opportunities.  
  • Gender analysis enables tailored, evidence-based climate policies that address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of all genders. 
• Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Ensuring equitable distribution of climate action funding is vital for mobilizing all available skills, resources, and leadership capacities to combat climate change.  
  • This budgeting approach considers the differing impacts of climate change on men and women, fostering inclusive and impactful climate solutions. 
• Integrating Gender Equality Objectives: Climate policies aligned with gender equality goals are more likely to achieve necessary structural changes to tackle the climate crisis and promote social justice.  
  • Addressing the root causes of gender-based vulnerabilities leads to more resilient communities and sustainable climate outcomes. 
• Promoting Gender Balance in Stakeholder Engagement: Encouraging gender diversity in monitoring and evaluating climate actions can improve the overall effectiveness of climate initiatives.  
  • Involving women and other underrepresented groups in decision-making ensures a broader range of perspectives and experiences are considered. 
• Supporting Developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Developing countries and LDCs have shown leadership in integrating gender considerations into climate policies.  
  • Developed nations should adopt this approach to foster a global framework for gender-responsive climate action. Collaborative efforts are vital to integrate gender equality into international climate policies and strategies.