AGENT (GECCO*) Gender & REDD+ video

May 2016

Every day in their roles as farmers, foresters, fishers, caretakers, and household providers, women use and manage natural resources. Women have unique experiences and knowledge with respect to their environments and offer important perspectives in natural resource governance. Specifically, women and men from rural communities often have differentiated knowledge of forest resources and diverse roles in its management. Given their responsibility for meeting food, water and energy needs for the household, women’s work and time burdens are increased by the depletion of forest resources. Not only does women’s equitable participation and representation in REDD+ uphold commitments to women’s empowerment and gender equality, it also makes for better development, more effective and efficient climate change solutions, and stronger sustainability and livelihood outcomes. This video highlights the importance of gender in REDD+ efforts.

This video was prepared for IUCN with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) via the Gender Equality for Climate Change Opportunities (GECCO) initiative*. GECCO leverages advancements in women’s empowerment and gender equality through, and for, the benefit of climate change and development outcomes and is designed to provide an array of support options for national, regional, and global activities that advance women’s empowerment and gender equality. This video supports a series of six geographically diverse case studies on gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment through REDD+.

*The former Gender Equality for Climate Change Opportunities (GECCO) initiative is now part of a broader program, Advancing Gender in the Environment (AGENT), which aims to improve development outcomes by strengthening environmental programing through gender integration and achieving gender equality outcomes.