Strategy on gender-responsive approaches and activities of the WIM Executive Committee

Recognizing that climate impacts and responses are not gender-neutral, the WIM Executive Committee adopted a strategy at its 24th meeting in spring 2026 to strengthen the integration of gender-responsive approaches across its work. The strategy provides a practical framework to support more coherent, inclusive and effective approaches to avert, minimize and address loss and damage, aligned with UNFCCC mandates and ongoing workplan priorities. This page presents the strategy and highlights related activities and recent progress.

Strategic objective

To systematically integrate gender considerations into the Executive Committee’s governance, planning, knowledge products, and coordination modalities, strengthening gender-responsive approaches across thematic and operational work.

The strategy supports a consistent and coherent approach to gender integration across the Executive Committee’s thematic expert groups by:

Encouraging consideration of gender dimensions in the planning, implementation and monitoring of plans of action;
Promoting the identification of appropriate entry points for gender-responsive analysis in technical papers, guidance materials and other knowledge products;
Supporting reflection of gender considerations, where relevant, across the lifecycle of the Executive Committee activities and in the development of its knowledge products; and
Systematically engaging gender expertise within each thematic expert group to support context specific and technically sound integration of gender considerations.

The strategy may be periodically reviewed and refined, taking into account lessons learned, evolving UNFCCC guidance and feedback from thematic expert groups and stakeholders, with a view to continuously strengthening gender responsiveness across the Executive Committee’s work.

Indicative implementation framework

Strategic Area	Indicative Actions	Responsible Actors	Milestones
Strategic integration	Integrate gender considerations, where relevant, into Committee’s workplans, annual priorities, and meeting agendas	Executive Committee members, led by Committee’s gender focal points	2027–2028: Initial integration into workplans and priorities 2028–2029: Consolidation and refinement based on experience
Expert group plans of action (PoAs)	Systematically identify gender entry points during the development, review, updating and implementation of thematic PoAs	Thematic expert groups, including thematic champions	2027: Guidance applied to new and revised PoAs 2028 onward: Continued application and review during PoA updates
Knowledge products	Incorporate gender-responsive analysis into technical papers, guidance notes, and other knowledge products, as appropriate	Thematic expert groups, technical drafters, secretariat	2027 onward: Guidance applied across the full product lifecycle, from concept to publication
Evidence and data	Promote the use of gender- and age-disaggregated data and relevant qualitative evidence, where available, to inform analysis and recommendations	Thematic expert groups, secretariat	2027–2028: Increased awareness and uptake 2028 onward: More consistent application across outputs
Capacity and expertise	Facilitate access to gender expertise through collaboration, partnerships, and knowledge exchange (e.g. briefings, expert inputs)	Executive Committee members, secretariat, Committee’s gender focal points, national gender and climate change focal points	As needed 2027 onward: A dedicated ‘gender’ session for members in 2027
Institutional coherence	Coordinate, where appropriate, with the Santiago network and the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) on gender related work and approaches	Executive Committee Co Chairs, Committee’s gender focal points, designated focal points for Santiago network and FRLD, secretariat	Periodic during 2027–2029, aligned with joint activities and coordination windows
Review and learning	Take stock of implementation experiences, identify good practices and gaps, and document lessons learned	Executive Committee members, led by Committee’s gender focal points	End–2028: Mid-term reflection 2029: End-of-period review to inform the next strategy cycle