Mainstreaming Gender in Health Adaptation to Climate Change

This guide is targeted towards programme managers who work in climate change and health adaptation, and provides them with practical information and concrete guidance to mainstream gender throughout all four phases of the project cycle: identification, formulation and design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. In order to effectively mainstream gender within their health adaptation to climate change programmes, managers will learn to conduct a gender analysis of health vulnerability and adverse health impacts of climate change, and to design gender-responsive adaptation programmes and actions.
The first section explains key terms and concepts important for understanding how gender and other social determinants influence health outcomes. It introduces principles of gender mainstreaming and the rationale for integrating gender considerations within health adaptation strategies. The second section explores how biological and sociocultural factors (gender norms, roles and relations) and access to and control over resources influence vulnerability to health risks associated with climate change, and the adaptive capacity of groups and individuals to adjust to changing environments and their social and economic impacts. The third provides practical guidance and best practices for mainstreaming gender in health adaptation to climate change programmes. This section presents a set of tools and recommendations to support programme managers conduct a gender analysis and adequately mainstream gender within all phases of the project cycle.