Egypt is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to climate change, and also one of the countries that is most committed to addressing its impacts. In particular, Egypt has been working to integrate gender into its climate finance policies and initiatives, recognizing that women are key agents of change and resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
Gender-responsive climate finance is a concept that aims to ensure that both women and men have equal access to and benefit from the financial resources that are allocated to address climate change. Gender-responsive climate finance also seeks to empower women and enhance their participation in decision-making and implementation of climate actions.
Gender-responsive climate finance is based on the premise that climate change affects women and men differently, and that gender inequalities and discrimination exacerbate the vulnerability of women to climate hazards. Therefore, gender-responsive climate finance is not only a matter of justice and human rights, but also a matter of effectiveness and efficiency of climate interventions.
The challenges of gender-responsive climate finance
Despite the growing recognition of the importance of gender-responsive climate finance, there are still many challenges and barriers that hinder its implementation and mainstreaming. Some of these challenges include:
- The lack of sex-disaggregated data and gender analysis to inform the design and evaluation of climate finance projects and programs.
- The limited capacity and awareness of climate finance actors and stakeholders on gender issues and best practices.
- The insufficient representation and involvement of women and gender experts in climate finance governance and management structures and processes.
- The inadequate allocation and tracking of financial resources for gender-responsive climate actions and outcomes.
The achievements of Egypt in gender-responsive climate finance
Egypt has been a pioneer and a leader in advancing gender-responsive climate finance in the region and globally. Egypt has adopted several policies and initiatives that demonstrate its commitment and vision to integrate gender into its climate agenda. Some of these achievements include:
- Developing a National Strategy for Mainstreaming Gender in Climate Change (2017-2030), which provides a comprehensive framework and action plan for enhancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in climate change policies and programs.
- Establishing a Gender and Climate Change Unit within the Ministry of Environment, which is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the implementation of the national strategy and providing technical support and guidance to relevant stakeholders.
- Launching a Gender and Climate Change Program, which is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the aim of strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of the government and civil society to mainstream gender into climate finance mechanisms and projects.
- Participating in several regional and international platforms and networks on gender and climate change, such as the Mediterranean Women Forum for Climate Action, the Women Delegates Fund, and the Global Gender and Climate Alliance.
