Integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in the NAP process

Presentation by Dr Nawa Mwale, GWPSA Gender Advisor, at the the Bilateral Peer-to-Peer Learning Workshop on National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Process between Namibia and Zambia held in Lusaka, Zambia, from August 7-9, 2024.

2. Integrating Gender Equality and Social
Inclusion (GESI) in the NAP process

3. Differences between Sex and Gender
No.Sex Gender
1 Biological characteristics that
define humans as female or
male.
Socially constructed roles, behavior,
activities and attributes that a particular
society considers appropriate and ascribes
to men and women.
2 Sex has two main categories:
Male and Female.
Main categories of gender are masculine
and feminine
3 Sex is determined or inherited
by birth.
Gender is influenced by social, cultural and
behavioral factors.
4 Generally, sex roles cannot be
changed by time or culture
(giving birth).
Gender can be changed by time and culture
(men cooking and women herding cattle).

4. Definitions of Key Terms
•Gender Equality – Women having the same opportunities in life as men (boys
and girls). Gender equality does not mean that people of all genders are the same
but that their opportunities and life chances become and remain equal.
•Gender Responsive – Examine and actively address gender norms, roles and
inequalities; actively seek to promote gender equality; paying attention to the
unique needs of females, valuing their perspectives, respecting their experiences,
understanding developmental differences between girls and boys, women and men
and ultimately empowering girls and women.
•Social Inclusion - Process of improving the terms for individuals and groups to
participate in society and improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of people,
disadvantaged on the basis of their identity, to take part in society . People may be
disadvantaged based on gender, sex, age, location, occupation, race, ethnicity,
religion, citizenship status, disability among other factors.

5. Why GESI in the NAP Process?
•Gender equality is a universal human right - enshrined in a number of international,
regional, national instruments.
•People have different adaptation needs, depending on where they live, how they sustain
their livelihoods, and the roles they play in their families and communities - without
understanding these dynamics, there is a risk that the people with the greatest need for
adaptation will be left out.
•Integrating considerations of gender into medium- and long-term adaptation can help to
ensure that adaptation is effective and implementable on the ground. It can help to
ensure that the implementation of adaptation activities will not exacerbate inequalities
and other vulnerabilities.
•Involving both men and women equally in decision-making processes results in more
sustainable climate action. Community-based adaptation projects prove that men and
women can play complementary roles.

6. What does a gender-responsive NAP process involve?

7. How to Ensure GESI in the NAP
Development and Implementation!
•Engage gender actors - government ministries, civil society organizations,
academic institutions and women’s groups etc.
•Since the budget process is the gateway for resource allocation for the government,
it is important to ensure that gender is integrated in the planning and
budgeting processes.
• Include gender responsive indicators in the NAP M&E framework and ensure
the collection of sex-disaggregated data in monitoring and evaluation of the NAP.
•Enhance the capacity of all relevant actors to facilitate gender responsiveness
approaches in the NAP process.
•Undertake inclusive gender equitable stakeholder engagement in the NAP
process.

8. Addressing the Needs & Priorities of
Vulnerable Groups in the NAP
•Undertaking gender analysis to identify gender-specific vulnerabilities, as
well as to analyze the underlying issues that make some people more vulnerable
than others - their needs and priorities.
•Take into consideration vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems in
adaptation planning and implementation.
•Vulnerable groups should not just be seen as victims but also as potential as
agents of change in their households and communities.
•Ensuring that resources are allocated for adaptation actions that benefit the
most vulnerable groups.
•Assesses equity in the benefits (for vulnerable groups) resulting from adaptation
investments through Monitoring and Evaluation.

10. Implications of GESI for NAP
Effectiveness and Impact
•Reduction of vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and building adaptive
capacity and resilience for vulnerable groups.
•People’s experiences of the impacts of climate change will differ depending on the
roles they play in their households and communities (crop vs livestock farming).
•Use of traditional knowledge proving useful in dealing with the impacts of climate
change, e.g. gardening practices, food preservation and storage, and locations of
traditional water sources.
•Adaptation options for the agriculture sector including investment in microfinance
and tailored insurance products for women, as well as the establishment of climate
information services and training programs in ways that promote equitable access
for women.

11. Key messages on GESI
in NAP processes
•There are opportunities throughout the NAP process
to adopt a gender-responsive approach – you can
start where you are.
•As gender-responsiveness is largely about process,
the enabling activities are particularly important for
applying a gender-responsive approach.
•Gender expertise exists in all countries – it is a
matter of leveraging this expertise for the NAP
process.
•Gender analysis is an essential foundation for
planning, but should also be applied during
implementation and monitoring, evaluation and
learning (MEL).
•Equitable decision-making processes at all levels are
central to a gender-responsive approach.

12. Working with the Least
Developed Countries Expert
Group (LEG) and the
Adaptation Committee, we
developed a toolkit to guide
gender-responsive approaches
in NAP processes.
Download the toolkit:
bit.ly/nap-gender-
toolkit

13. Thank you for Listening☺
Dr Nawa Mwale
GWPSA Gender Advisor
[email protected]
[email protected]