Content:
Not only do women depend on the surrounding environment for their livelihoods, but today they account for more than half of the world's agricultural workforce. Their growing contribution to household income is therefore becoming increasingly decisive for family survival.
With their invaluable knowledge of natural resources, it is clear that women play an essential role in environmental management and in implementing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Equipped with the right tools, women are proficient in managing natural resources, but lack of empowerment can make them extremely vulnerable to the effects of ecosystem degradation.
The programme is an essential component of the GM’s South-to-south Cooperation Programme, which was initiated within the framework of the Saharan Space for Solidarity (SolArid) and is being extended to other subregions.
The ultimate objective is to support the leveraging of resources for SLM in order to maximize the effectiveness and impact of interventions to address the effects of ecosystem degradation through mainstreaming and by taking a holistic approach, recognizing the role of rural women.
The GP supports gender mainstreaming into national integrated investment frameworks; integrate gender into the planning, formulation and implementation of budgets and all UNCCD policies and programmes; and promote gender-sensitivity in the formulation of budgeting and budget allocation processes that address and reflect gender issues to the benefit of rural women.
The GM’s South-to-south approach addresses combating desertification as an integral part of the socio-economic, political and cultural development of countries affected by drought and desertification and also promotes resource mobilization between actors from the south.
The GP is strategically positioned in the context of South-to-south cooperation to increase cost- and time-effectiveness through the rationalized use of human and financial resources at the regional level and the transfer of technology among experts from the South, who have similar socio-economic settings and a deep understanding of developing countries' needs.
The GP supports networks from the South in promoting successful methodologies and approaches, enhancing awareness of women’s important roles and creating opportunities for women to engage in actions for environmental sustainability. The programme also creates platforms for women to exchange experiences on resource mobilization tools and mechanisms, supports networks in identifying their capacity-building needs and designing targeted training sessions, and strives to build bridges between women from the North and the South, to strengthen women’s investment capacity in SLM.
For more information:
Ms Ines Chaâlala, Junior Programme Officer, North Africa & South-to-south Cooperation
Tel. +39 06 5459 2548
i.chaalala (at) global-mechanism.org
Gender programme: empowering women to invest in SLM
Setting
In rural areas, especially in developing countries, gender dynamics assign roles and responsibilities to women within the household, communities and ecosystems. Women are the main managers of essential household resources such as clean water, fuel for cooking and heating, and fodder for domestic animals.Not only do women depend on the surrounding environment for their livelihoods, but today they account for more than half of the world's agricultural workforce. Their growing contribution to household income is therefore becoming increasingly decisive for family survival.
With their invaluable knowledge of natural resources, it is clear that women play an essential role in environmental management and in implementing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Equipped with the right tools, women are proficient in managing natural resources, but lack of empowerment can make them extremely vulnerable to the effects of ecosystem degradation.
What?
The GM has developed the Gender Programme (GP) to enhance country-level impacts by strengthening the engagement of marginalized actors and linking with sectors that have not traditionally been involved in UNCCD implementation, but that have significant potential for increasing investment flows for combating desertification and promoting sustainable land management (SLM).The programme is an essential component of the GM’s South-to-south Cooperation Programme, which was initiated within the framework of the Saharan Space for Solidarity (SolArid) and is being extended to other subregions.
Why?
Taking women’s needs and priorities into account and involving women in environmental policy-making has proved to have multiple benefits in terms of better targeting and enhanced efficiency of policies and programmes. Through the GP, the GM intends to increase the visibility of the links between environmental sustainability and gender equality, facilitating the integration of environmental policies into other sector policies.The ultimate objective is to support the leveraging of resources for SLM in order to maximize the effectiveness and impact of interventions to address the effects of ecosystem degradation through mainstreaming and by taking a holistic approach, recognizing the role of rural women.
How?
Gender Mainstreaming
The GP supports gender mainstreaming into national integrated investment frameworks; integrate gender into the planning, formulation and implementation of budgets and all UNCCD policies and programmes; and promote gender-sensitivity in the formulation of budgeting and budget allocation processes that address and reflect gender issues to the benefit of rural women.
South-to-south Cooperation: Framework for Optimizing Support to Rural Women in Desertification-stricken Areas
The GM’s South-to-south approach addresses combating desertification as an integral part of the socio-economic, political and cultural development of countries affected by drought and desertification and also promotes resource mobilization between actors from the south.
The GP is strategically positioned in the context of South-to-south cooperation to increase cost- and time-effectiveness through the rationalized use of human and financial resources at the regional level and the transfer of technology among experts from the South, who have similar socio-economic settings and a deep understanding of developing countries' needs.
Knowledge Management
The GP supports networks from the South in promoting successful methodologies and approaches, enhancing awareness of women’s important roles and creating opportunities for women to engage in actions for environmental sustainability. The programme also creates platforms for women to exchange experiences on resource mobilization tools and mechanisms, supports networks in identifying their capacity-building needs and designing targeted training sessions, and strives to build bridges between women from the North and the South, to strengthen women’s investment capacity in SLM.
For more information:
Ms Ines Chaâlala, Junior Programme Officer, North Africa & South-to-south Cooperation
Tel. +39 06 5459 2548
i.chaalala (at) global-mechanism.org
Related Documents
Why SolArid?