About the Toolkit
Gender equality is central to achieving a sustainable and resilient future for Pacific islands. This toolkit is designed to support climate change practitioners working in national governments, non-governmental organisations, regional and international organisations, integrate gender into all aspects of policy, programming and project work.
Many of us are aware that gender does matter for sustainable development and climate change adaptation and
mitigation. However, the challenge is to understand why and how it matters, and most importantly what tools
and strategies are available to enhance equality between men and women within the context of climate change.
By applying this knowledge in a practical way, we can incorporate gender considerations in all phases of the
climate change policy, programme and project cycle; from design and implementation, through to monitoring
and evaluation. This toolkit does exactly this by drawing on many decades of experience in the integration of a
gender perspective in sustainable development, natural resources management, disaster preparedness, food
security, health and other key sectors.
The toolkit is divided into four modules, which can be read in conjunction or used as standalone documents
for practitioners seeking guidance on a specific topic. The modules are also supported by checklists and tools
(found at the end of the toolkit. The toolkit is comprised of the following modules:
- Module 1 - This introductory module explains why gender is a critical consideration in climate change programmes, projects and strategies, defines the key approaches and concepts, and clarifies some common misconceptions.
- Module 2 - Introduces the different phases of a typical climate change programme/project cycle, identifies potential entry-points for integrating gender perspectives in each phase and also includes a generic gender checklist that may be applied to programmes and projects.
- Module 3 - Focuses on the links between gender and climate change in specific sectors and uses sector relevant case studies to demonstrate how gender perspectives can be applied in the identification and assessment of climate change problems and solutions. Key gender indicators are also provided to support monitoring and evaluation.
- Module 4 - This final module examines gender in relation to climate change governance. It discusses how to integrate gender considerations in institutional arrangements, policy coordination and negotiations, and climate change finance.
This toolkit alone will not make you a gender expert. Rather, it will provide guidance along with links to other
resources that can help strengthen your knowledge about gender and climate change. The toolkit will also
be supported by training and technical assistance to further build capacity in the Pacific region to effectively
integrate gender in all climate change initiatives.
We encourage you to work closely with gender experts in your field to strengthen the gender component of
your climate change policy, programme and/or project. By working together, we can turn our knowledge into
practice and ensure everyone – men, women, boys and girls – benefits from the climate change initiatives
implemented in the region.
This Toolkit is a Living Document
We encourage you to share your experiences of using this toolkit, including what modules and tools you found
useful, and what worked and what didn’t. Your ongoing feedback will help us ensure the Toolkit remains a living
document and a useful resource for climate change practitioners in the region. Please send your comments to
[email protected]