Addressing gender considerations in climate change adaptation and REDD+ efforts

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Cohosts
IUCN, CIFOR

While some work has already been conducted on the links between climate change adaptation and gender equality, recognition of gender aspects within a context of mitigation is still at an initial stage. Further work is necessary to raise awareness and acknowledgement of the relevance of linking gender and climate change in mitigation efforts as well as bringing lessons learned from gender-sensitive adaptation efforts into this debate.

This session discussed ongoing efforts at increasing women’s participation in current climate change mitigation, particularly in REDD+, and adaptation efforts. It proposed ways and means of increasing women’s participation in decision making and benefit distribution, while recommending appropriate safeguards against further exclusion. The discussion also drew from the rich array of lessons on women’s participation in the management, conservation and protection of forests and trees of the past two decades as well as from the experiences in countries that are developing gender-sensitive climate change policies.

Key questions

• How does climate change affect existing inequalities between men and women?
• How do existing inequalities between men and women affect current efforts at climate mitigation and adaptation?
• What lessons can be drawn from gender-sensitive adaptation efforts to make mitigation initiatives gender-responsive?
• Considering lessons learned from gender-sensitive adaptation efforts, what recommendations should be given to global REDD+ mechanisms and implementing partners on how they could consider gender in all aspects of their REDD+ programming?

Moderator
Jeannette Gurung, Executive Director, Women Organising for Change in Agriculture and NRM (WOCAN)

Keynote address
Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Diplomatic Mission, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)

Panellists

• Monique Essed-Fernades, Chair of the Board, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)
• Linda Mossop-Rousseau, Senior Executive, Komatiland Forests
• Corinne Valdivia, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri

Contact information
IUCN: Lorena Aguilar: lorena.aguilar@iucn.org
CIFOR: Esther Mwangi: e.mwangi@cgiar.org