The upcoming years will be pivotal for the implementation of the updated national climate plans, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to advance gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls as part of the 2030 Agenda. With the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 66) focused on achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies, and programmes, it provides the perfect occasion to identify strategic actions to support countries in integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment within the implementation of their NDCs. Ensuring a gender-responsive implementation is not a single shot activity. It requires an integrated approach to deliver transformative change that is focused on developing effective governance, inclusive planning and integrated policy frameworks that are mutually reinforcing. Implementing NDCs with a gender lens paves the way for eliminating prevalent gender inequalities in climate sectors and creating opportunities for women’s empowerment.
In this context, UNDP and the Government of Iceland is organizing a high-level side-event during CSW66, allowing for countries and partners to reflect upon their progress and increased ambition of gender integration into the second generation of NDCs and the challenges and opportunities that might arise to ensure the implementation of these gender commitments.