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introduction      |      why gender mainstreaming      |      about the draft CCGAP      |      schedule for stakeholder consultations

Introduction

In 2014, the Conference of the Parties established the first Lima Work Programme on Gender (LWPG) (Decision 18/CP.20) to advance gender balance and integrate gender considerations into the work of the parties, and the secretariat in implementing the convention and the Paris Agreement to achieve gender-responsive climate policy and action. COP 22 decided on a three-year extension of the LWPG, with a review at COP 25 (Decision 21/CP.22), and the first gender action plan (GAP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established at COP 23. The enhanced LWPG and GAP acknowledge that there is a further need for mainstreaming gender throughout the convention and that this will contribute to increasing the effectiveness, fairness and sustainability of climate policy and action.

In its Synthesis Report of the Sixth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted that there is a growing scientific consensus that the impacts of climate change are differentiated owing to the interaction and intersection of discrimination based on gender, and other social factors such as ethnicity, age, class or (dis)ability. The key considerations for incorporating and mainstreaming gender into the climate change policy framework through the Gender Action Plan are crucial for the country's climate response.

Why gender mainstreaming?

Gender mainstreaming is the process of evaluating how planned policy actions, such as gender action plans, will affect people of different genders. It involves integrating a perspective of gender equality at all stages and levels of policies, programs, and projects.

Failure to consider gender in climate mitigation policies can perpetuate existing gender inequalities. This, in turn, can hinder a country's progress towards achieving net zero emissions, given the crucial role women play in climate action and their unique vulnerabilities to the effects of climate change. According to a study, it is estimated that in 2030, if current trends continue, only 25% of jobs in the "green" sector (i.e. jobs that directly or indirectly contribute to preserving or restoring the environment) will be held by women. Additionally, women are more likely to be employed in low-skilled jobs in high-exposure sectors (such as agriculture or construction) as labour productivity declines due to hot weather conditions.

South Africa draft Climate Change Gender Action Plan

The South Africa GAP was drafted in 2022 by DFFE. The draft GAP presents the status quo of the inclusion of gender in the umbrella sector policies and the sub-policies. The draft GAP further provides a detailed analysis including discussions with key sector government officials. The draft GAP includes the proposed GAP with objectives and six strategic actions covered in detail (see below) and the gaps identified in the inclusion of gender in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and other national policies in the country.

• Strategic action 1: revise institutional arrangements for gender-climate mainstreaming.
• Strategic action 2: formalise relationships for sectoral gender mainstreaming.
• Strategic action 3: develop dedicated sectoral gender policies.
• Strategic action 4: establish robust, participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks for gender mainstreaming.
• Strategic action 5: align funding streams for gender-climate mainstreaming.
• Strategic action 6: develop a gender awareness and capacity-building programme.

The GAP also reviews the current or lack of institutional arrangements for facilitating gender mainstreaming concerning climate change and the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The draft GAP is attached for your review in preparation for the stakeholder consultation.

About the stakeholder consultations on the draft Climate Change Gender Action Plan

South Africa, through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), drafted the National Gender Action Plan supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the Climate Promise Program, which is yet to be published for implementation. The department is now embarking on provincial public consultations with respective stakeholders on the draft Gender Action Plan before it can be published as a final plan. The objectives of the workshops are among others to:

• Conduct public consultations on the draft South Africa Climate Change Gender Action Plan to solicit inputs.
• Raise public awareness of gender mainstreaming in climate change actions.
• Share information on the country's progress on gender mainstreaming.

Schedule of workshops and expected participants

The national ministerial stakeholder consultations are set to take place from 15 February  to 19 April 2023. Please note that the dates and venues may change due to circumstances surrounding planning and logistics. Updates will be made regularly on this page.

The consultation is expected to attract the participation of a variety of interested and affected stakeholders from government, industry, business, labour, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations, faith group organisations, and traditional authorities in the province.

• Draft Climate Change Gender Action Plan [PDF - 2.3 mb]
• Programme  [PDF - 264,4 kb]

For more information, please contact:

Ms Funanani Muremi  
E-mail: fmuremi@dffe.gov.za