Gender Learning Report: Supporting climate resilient development and adaptation to climate change project
This learning report was developed at the conclusion of the UNDP-supported ‘Strengthening Climate Information and Early Warning Systems in Cambodia to Support Climate Resilient Development and Adaptation to Climate Change’ project (known herein as ‘the project’), financed by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) component of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Completion of this report is hoped to serve a dual purpose.
- The first of these is a discussion of gender within the project. In accordance with UNDP guidelines, the project was given a GEN2 marker. This marker suggests that the outputs of the project are either ‘gender sensitive’, or ‘gender responsive’. To be a ‘gender sensitive’ output, an outcome needs to have ‘recognition of, and intension to reduce symptoms of gendered differences and gender disparity and promote equality in opportunity’. To be a ‘gender responsive’ project, it must ‘attempt to overcome historical gender bias’. As a result, it was hoped that this report enables a reflection on areas where, consistent with UNDP gender markers, the project was able to (or otherwise) address gender issues.
- The second purpose of the report is to facilitate a look forward as to what lessons can be learned from this project, and questions that need to be asked to allow these lessons to be implemented in future projects both locally and perhaps globally.
In conclusion, whilst gender was not overly well integrated throughout the project, it became more apparent as the project went on. In saying that, the gender advances that were made within the project – the Women Champions, Cambodia Women’s Resilience Index, Charter of Demands etc. – will have impacts that extend far beyond the boundaries of this project, and will influence other areas such as women’s participation in leadership, agricultural practices and so forth.
