Gender and Finance in the NDC Partnership: Opportunities for Gender Integration through Climate Finance is an Insight Brief published by the NDC Partnership and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in October 2022. The brief examines how gender considerations can be integrated into climate finance, based on support requests submitted by NDC Partnership member countries, and provides recommendations for making climate finance more inclusive and gender-responsive.
Key insights:
The brief explains that finance is the most frequently requested area of support among NDC Partnership member countries, especially for climate finance strategies, integrating NDCs into national plans and budgets, project development, and resource mobilization.
It notes that requests for gender integration in climate finance are increasing, as countries and partners recognize that green recovery and climate action can help reduce gender inequalities while also achieving environmental goals.
As of September 2022, countries had submitted 276 gender-related support requests through the Partnership, including 63 gender finance requests from 21 countries.
A large share of gender finance requests focuses on preparing investment-ready projects and project pipelines, integrating NDCs into national planning, budgets and revenues, and developing climate finance strategies and roadmaps.
The brief notes that 57% of gender finance activities had received support, while 43% remained unsupported, showing the need to better understand the barriers preventing partners from responding to these requests.
It explains the difference between “women-inclusive” and “gender-responsive” approaches. A gender-responsive approach goes beyond including women and works to identify and address gender gaps across sectors, policies, and project cycles.
The brief reviews the role of multilateral climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund, Climate Investment Funds, Adaptation Fund, and Global Environment Facility, in setting gender-related requirements and policies for climate finance.
It also highlights the role of multilateral development banks and national development agencies in advancing gender-responsive climate finance through gender strategies, indicators, action plans, and project preparation requirements.
The brief recommends integrating gender considerations from the start of investment planning and project development by conducting gender analyses, using sex-disaggregated data, designing gender indicators, allocating budget lines for gender-responsive actions, and involving relevant stakeholders, including women’s organizations and national gender agencies.
Main message: Climate finance can be a powerful tool for advancing gender equality, but gender considerations must be treated as a core part of policy design, investment planning, project development, and finance mobilization for NDC implementation—not as an add-on.
