Gender-Based Violence and Environment Linkages
Ending gender-based violence and securing environmental sustainability are each global priorities. These two issues are linked in many ways, across contexts, countries and communities. While seldom addressed together, understanding and addressing these linkages may be key to meeting interlinked global goals.
How the GBV-Environment Linkages Center works
Addressing knowledge gaps on gender-based violence and environment linkages
It started with one question: Are there links?
IUCN and USAID, together through the Advancing Gender in the Environment (AGENT) partnership, embarked on a two-year research process to identify and understand gender-based violence and environment linkages across sectors and contexts. Many experts, informants and collaborators contributed to this effort. Published in January 2020, Gender-based violence and environment linkages: The violence of inequality presents evidence from around the world, showing that violence is regularly used to exert or reinforce control over natural resources, with environmental pressures and threats exacerbating violence. This research has spurred the creation of this Center, which continues to provide new research, tools and insights on promising practices.
Increasing understanding and knowledge-based action to address gender-based violence and environment linkages
The evidence is clear: urgent action is needed.
Grounded in the research and experience across sectors, IUCN works with members and partners to increase attention to, strategies for and investments in addressing gender-based violence and environment linkages, across environmental policy, programming and practice.
Strengthening capacities to address gender-based violence and environment linkages in programs and projects
Addressing barriers. Advising projects.
With the commitments this center inspires, IUCN supports environment practitioners and projects to address gender-based violence through technical support, training, helpdesks and more.
Key resources

Strengthening safeguards: strategies for addressing gender-based violence in environmental projects

Gender-based violence and environment linkages during COVID-19: Information note, Second edition: November 2020
An IUCN-USAID partnership
IUCN works with USAID and other partners, including diverse IUCN Members, to build information, awareness, capacities and innovative approaches to address gender-based violence and environment linkages.


The GBV-ENV Center is coordinated under Advancing Gender in the Environment (AGENT), a ten-year collaboration between the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GenDev).
The GBV-ENV Center is building a community of practice on identifying and addressing linkages to strengthen environment programming.
Sign up for updates from the Center and join us in exploring linkages!