Women are vital to conservation and resilience-building efforts, and women’s empowerment is intrinsically linked to achieving sustainable development. Yet, gender inequalities and gaps persist: women commonly face obstructed access to markets, capital, training and technologies; they are underrepresented in—if not restricted from—decision-making spheres at all levels. Women in much of the world do not have the same customary or legal rights to land, property and resources that men do, stripping them of critical means for survival and resilience. And while they hold crucial roles and responsibilities in natural resource management, women’s contributions, innovations and leadership are often overlooked. The result is a lost opportunity for environmental initiatives to achieve multiple benefits, amplify results and increase effectiveness, as gender equality and women’s empowerment leads to more successful, efficient and equitable development outcomes.