Climate change disproportionately impacts women and girls, exacerbating existing gender inequalities and posing threats to their livelihood, health, and safety. However, women also play a crucial role as agents of change to drive climate actions and thus promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. In Myanmar, women work in agriculture, fishing, and other businesses, but they often lack the capacity, space, choices, and opportunities to engage and contribute effectively in addressing climate change issues.

To ensure gender-responsive climate action under the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance Phase 2 Programme (MCCA2), funded by the European Union, UN-Habitat Myanmar mainstreamed gender considerations across all climate adaptation actions. By enacting gender quotas and engaging local women’s groups in Local Climate Action Planning (LCAP), the program ensured that women comprised 50% of community members in identifying climate vulnerabilities, risks, and impacts and leading climate action projects. The program also carried out a climate and gender analysis, which helped the project team develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of gender and climate change at the local level. The analysis resulted in a comprehensive gender-mainstreamed baseline survey tool that can be used in other townships across Myanmar.

By ensuring gender-responsive programming, MCCA2 empowered women to meaningfully participate in local planning and built momentum for a future in which women, men, and other diverse groups can shape Myanmar’s climate action.

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