The Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender

Informal consultations on gender and climate change during COP 25

Credit: KiaraWorth

Informal consultations on gender and climate change at COP 25

Background

In 2014 the COP established the first Lima work programme on gender (LWPG) (Decision 18/CP.20) to advance gender balance and integrate gender considerations into the work of Parties and the secretariat in implementing the Convention and the Paris Agreement so as to achieve gender responsive climate policy and action. COP 22 decided on a three-year extension of the LWPG, with a review at COP 25 (Decision 21/CP.22), and the first gender action plan (GAP) under the UNFCCC was established at COP 23.

Enhanced LWPG and its GAP

At COP 25 Parties agreed a 5-year enhanced Lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan (Decision 3/CP.25), which was amended as a result of the intermediate review of the implementation of the gender action plan, at COP 27 (Decision 24/CP.27).

Following the process for the final review detailed at COP 28 (Decision 15/CP.28), at COP 29 Parties concluded the review of the enhanced Lima work programme on gender and decided to extend it for 10 years (Draft Decision -/CP.29).

LWPG long-term, open-ended action, Secretariat regular functions, Gender action plan as an annex, Review of progress/further work to be undertaken in Nov 2024; GAP: 5 priority areas with objectives, 20 activities, 35 outputs, Intermediate review of implementation in June 2022

The development of the new gender action plan will begin at SB 62 (June 2025), with a view to recommending a draft decision for consideration and adoption at COP 30 (November 2025). At SB 62, Parties and observers will come together to discuss the design, including the structure and content of the activities in the new gender action plan at an in-session workshop. A call for submissions related to the workshop is open until 31 March 2025.

COP 29 also decided that other in-person or hybrid technical workshops on the topic may be held during 2025 in conjunction with existing events, such as the regional climate weeks. Parties that are interested in hosting additional technical workshops on the topic during 2025 are to send an expression of interest to the Chair of the SBI.

The development of a new gender action plan will take into account the inputs to and outcome of the review of the enhanced Lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan in 2024, including the synthesis report on submissions, and the workshops referred to above.

For details on the call for submissions, please visit the review webpage.

GAP priority areas

The enhanced gender action plan sets out objectives and activities under five priority areas that aim to advance knowledge and understanding of gender-responsive climate action and its coherent mainstreaming in the implementation of the UNFCCC and the work of Parties, the secretariat, United Nations entities and all stakeholders at all levels, as well as women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in the UNFCCC process.

In 2025, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation will initiate the development of a new gender action plan (Draft Decision -/CP.29).

Priority Area A. Capacity-building, knowledge management and communication

Objective: To enhance the systematic integration of gender considerations into climate policy and action and the application of understanding and expertise to the actions called for under the Lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan, and facilitate outreach, knowledge-sharing and the communication of activities undertaken to enhance gender-responsive climate action and its impacts in advancing women’s leadership, achieving gender equality and ensuring effective climate action

Priority Area B. Gender balance, participation and women’s leadership

Objective: To achieve and sustain the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in the UNFCCC process

Information on the gender composition report and gender balance can be found here

Priority Area C. Coherence

Objective: To strengthen the integration of gender considerations within the work of UNFCCC constituted bodies, the secretariat and other United Nations entities and stakeholders towards the consistent implementation of gender-related mandates and activities

Priority Area D. Gender-responsive implementation and means of implementation

Objective: To ensure the respect, promotion and consideration of gender equality and the empowerment of women in the implementation of the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

Priority Area E. Monitoring and reporting

Objective: To improve tracking of the implementation of and reporting on gender-related mandates under the Lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan.

High Level event on Gender Day co-organized by Chile and Germany

How were these objectives achieved?

Below is a non-exhaustive list of deliverables under each Priority Area, carried out by the secretariat.

Additional information can be found in the following documents:

Synthesis report on progress, challenges, gaps and priorities in implementing the gender action plan, and future work to be undertaken on gender and climate change (FCCC/SBI/2024/11)
Synthesis report on the implementation of the activities contained in the gender action plan, areas for improvement and further work to be undertaken (FCCC/CP/2022/6)
Annexes on activities undertaken by the secretariat contained in the annual gender composition reports

The enhanced lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan are implemented by Parties, the secretariat, United Nations entities and all stakeholders at all levels, including philanthropic organizations, national gender and climate change focal points, research institutions, finance and budgeting entities, the private sector, operating entities of the financial mechanism, constituted bodies, amongst others.

Priority Area A. Capacity-building, knowledge management and communication

Output	Further information
In-session workshop on the role and the work of the national gender and climate change focal points (SB 52)	Recording and informal report
Dialogue with UN Women, national gender and climate change focal points and other relevant stakeholders on how their work contributes to the achievements of the objectives of the gender action plan (SB 58)	Recording
Workshop on gender budgeting as part of the #ActOnTheGAP virtual workshop series held in September 2021	Information and recordings
Bridging the GAP from Access to Action – National Gender and Climate Change Focal Point training on climate finance and gender (COP 28)	Information and recordings (COP 28) Information (COP 29)
Counting on a Sustainable Future: Global Conference on Gender and Environment Data (COP 28)	Information and recordings
Dimensions and examples of the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change, the role of women as agents of change and opportunities for women. Synthesis report by the secretariat	Synthesis report by the secretariat
SBI-SBSTA special event on the gender-related aspects at IPCC AR6 (COP 27)	Information and recording
UNFCCC Gender and Climate Change Newsletter	Newsletter archive and sign up form
LinkedIn group of professionals focusing on the nexus of Gender and Climate Change	UN Climate Change: Gender & Climate Change group
Gender & Climate Change playlist	YouTube playlist
News articles on gender and climate change in the UNFCCC Newsroom	UNFCCC Newsroom (use the search term “gender”)
Social media campaigns on important dates, such as International Women’s Day, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and Gender Day at COP	Check our UNFCCC channels: LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube
Usage of the social media hashtag #ActOnTheGAP in all social media posts

Priority Area B. Gender balance, participation and women’s leadership

Output	Further information
Since the adoption of the first Lima work programme on gender in 2014, over 100 Parties have appointed national gender and climate change focal points (NGCCFP). National gender and climate change focal points can be of any gender themselves, however, during discussions on the role of NGCCFPs, advocating for full, equal and meaningful participation of women and gender balance in delegations was identified as a possible activity.	More information on NGCCFPs is available here
Collaboration with the Women Delegates Fund on building the capacity of female negotiators participating in UNFCCC sessions through the Night School training programme	Information
Joint dialogue on advancing the leadership and highlighting the solutions of women from local communities and indigenous women in climate policy and action.	Dialogue report and recordings

Priority Area C. Coherence

Output	Further information
The secretariat has synthesized constituted bodies’ reporting on progress on the integration of a gender perspective into constituted body processes in biannually reports	Synthesis reports by the secretariat: 2023 2021 2019
The secretariat provided capacity building on gender in the context of their respective areas of work to all constituted bodies, produced gender briefs and included information on gender in induction material and refresher sessions
The secretariat provided support to constituted bodies in their developing approaches to mainstreaming gender and in the production of concept notes and substantive documents
Good practices for integrating gender into the work of the constituted bodies. Compilation and synthesis report by the secretariat	Compilation and synthesis report by the secretariat
Dialogue with Chairs of UNFCCC constituted bodies on progress in integrating a gender perspective into their processes	Dialogue report and recording
In-session dialogues on Gender Day focused on one thematic area relevant to the Convention and the Paris Agreement to promote coherence reflecting multidimensional factors	In-session dialogues on Gender Day at: COP 29 COP 28 COP 27 COP 26
The secretariat actively engages partners and networks to strengthen coordination and is for instance a co-lead of the Generation Equality Feminist Action for Climate Justice Action Coalition	Collective commitments

Priority Area D. Gender-responsive implementation and means of implementation

Output	Further information
Call for submissions on Share experience and support capacity-building on gender budgeting, including on the integration of gender-responsive budgeting into national budgets to advance gender-responsive climate policies, plans, strategies and action, as appropriate	See submissions portal (use the search term “gender” or "D.1", 31/07/2022)
Expert meeting to share experience and support capacity-building on gender budgeting, including on the integration of gender-responsive budgeting into national budgets to advance gender-responsive climate policies, plans, strategies and action	Report and recording
Dialogue on Gender Budgeting on Gender Day at COP 27	Information
Bridging the GAP from Access to Action – National Gender and Climate Change Focal Point training on climate finance and gender (COP 28)	Information, informal summary report and recording
Climate finance and gender – key resources webpage with information on available capacity-building resources and training opportunities on climate finance in general, and gender-responsive climate finance in particular.	Climate finance and gender – key resources webpage
Call for submissions on Share experiences of engaging women’s groups and national women and gender institutions in the process of developing, implementing and updating climate policies, plans, strategies and action, as appropriate, at all levels	See submissions portal (use the search term “gender” or "D.5")
Regional virtual workshops on gender integration into national climate policies, plans, strategies and action	Informal compilation and recordings

Priority Area E. Monitoring and reporting

Output	Further information
Since 2013 the Secretariat publishes the gender composition report to support Parties in tracking progress on gender balance to promote a gender-sensitive climate policy	Information on the reports and on gender balance
Implementation of gender-responsive climate policies, plans, strategies and action as reported by Parties in regular reports and communications under the UNFCCC process	Compilation and synthesis report (2022) Compilation and synthesis (2024)
Information on gender is available in NDC and LT-LEDS Synthesis reports, NAP Progress publication and in the Policy brief Progress, good practices and lessons learned in prioritizing and incorporating gender-responsive adaptation action.	NDC Synthesis report LT-LEDS Synthesis reports NAP Progress publication Progress, good practices and lessons learned in prioritizing and incorporating gender-responsive adaptation action. Policy brief
Call for submissions opened until 31 March 2024: Parties, United Nations entities, the UNFCCC constituted bodies and relevant organizations, in accordance with their respective mandates and priorities, to submit their inputs on progress, challenges, gaps and priorities in implementing the gender action plan, categorized by deliverable or output for each activity under the gender action plan, and on future work to be undertaken on gender and climate change To support the review process, the secretariat organized a an open information session to provide details on the review and submission process and for Parties and non-Party stakeholders to have an opportunity to raise their questions. A synthesis report on the submissions was produced by the secretariat, an in-session workshop thereon was held, and a workshop synthesis report produced.	See submissions portal (use the search term “gender action plan”) Review and submission process website Recording of the information session Synthesis report (2024) Summary report of the in-session workshop (2024)

Gender Day at COP 26 - Dialogue on Gender- Innovation and Technology

Credit: UNFCCC

In-session workshop on the role and the work of the national gender and climate change focal points (SB 52-55)

Credit: UNFCCC

Dialogue on gender day at COP 26 - Dialogue on Gender- Innovation and Technology and In-session workshop on the role and the work of the national gender and climate change focal points (SB 52-55)

Credit: UN Climate Change

Credit: UNFCCC-Kiara Worth

Dialogue on gender day at COP 27 - Dialogue on Gender budgeting and Joint dialogue on advancing the leadership and highlighting the solutions of local communities and indigenous women in climate policy and action

Expert meeting to share experience and support capacity-building on gender budgeting, including on the integration of gender-responsive budgeting ...

Credit: UNFCCC

Dialogue on how the work of UN Women contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the gender action plan (GAP activity A2) - working groups and Expert meeting to share experience and support capacity-building on gender budgeting, incl(...) at SB 56

Credit: UN Climate Change - Kiara Worth

Credit: UN Climate Change - Kiara Worth

High Level Event on Gender in Transparency at COP 29