The document discusses gender-responsive ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), defining key terms like gender, gender norms, and gender equality. It provides an overview of integrating a gender-responsive approach to EbA, including engaging gender experts, advocating for equitable representation, allocating resources for inclusive participation, and creating leadership opportunities for women. Several references on the topic are also included, such as toolkits and guidance documents from organizations like GIZ, CARE International, IUCN, and UNFCCC.

1. • Discover what gender-responsive EbA looks like in practice
• Learn how to integrate gender-responsive approaches in a proposed EbA project
All definitions below are taken from GIZ (2021).
• Gender: Socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys,
men, and gender diverse people.
• Gender norms: Describe how people of a particular gender and age are expected to behave in a
given social context. They influence the roles and responsibilities that people take on in their
households and communities.
• Gender differences: Differences in roles, knowledge, and the realisation of rights in women,
men, and non-binary people resulting in differing needs and capacities.
• Gender equality: A situation where people of all gender identities have the same status and
equal opportunities to realise their rights and to access resources, services and benefits. It does
not mean that people of all genders are the same – it is an absence of discrimination on the basis
of gender.
• Gender-responsive EbA: Ensuring that EbA actions actively promote gender equality.
1. Actively applying a gender-responsive approach will be instrumental to drive systemic change
towards more gender equality. This entails:
• Engaging gender experts in EbA planning, implementation, and monitoring and
evaluation. Working with gender experts to undertake a gender analysis will enable an
understanding of gender differences and systematic discrimination. The results of the
gender analysis can inform EbA planning, implementation, and monitoring and
evaluation to ensure that EbA actions do not worsen existing inequalities.
• Engaging with local governance systems to advocate for equitable representation. As
EbA actions are implemented, it is important to engage with decision-makers at
different levels to raise awareness of discriminatory policies and practices, and to
promote gender-equitable and inclusive governance of ecosystem services.

2. • Allocating resources for inclusive participatory processes. To ensure meaningful and
inclusive participation, resources should be channelled to groups that are typically
excluded from EbA planning and implementation processes, such as women and
Indigenous communities.
• Creating opportunities for women to take on leadership roles. Leaders of EbA planning
processes and projects must actively work to create leadership roles for women and
opportunities for meaningful engagement, as EbA actions should actively be engaging
with and lifting the voices of underrepresented groups.
• Toward Gender-Responsive Ecosystem-based Adaptation. Why it’s needed and how to get there
(by Angie Dazé and Anika Terton, for GIZ, 2021). The report provides a rationale for integrating
gender considerations in EbA action from both a policy and a practical perspective. It outlines
what gender-responsive EbA looks like in practice, followed by case examples.
• Building Resilience with Nature and Gender in the Eastern Caribbean: A Toolkit to Mainstream
Ecosystem-Based Adaptation, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (by Annie Bonnin Roncerel et
al., for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, 2020). This toolkit provides an overview of
EbA and gender equality and social inclusion issues, along with guidance on mainstreaming EbA
and gender in resilience building.
• Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (CVCA) Handbook: Informing Community-Based
Adaptation, Resilience and Gender Equality (by Angie Dazé, Aurélie Ceinos and Karl Deering, for
CARE International, 2019). With a focus on gender equality, ecosystems, and inclusive
governance, this handbook from CARE International provides guidance for participatory analysis
of vulnerability to climate change and adaptive capacity at the community level.
• Toolkit for a Gender-Responsive Process to Formulate and Implement NAPs (by Angie Dazé and
Clare Church, for the NAP Global Network, 2019). This toolkit was developed in collaboration
with the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group under the
UNFCCC as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process. It provides
guidance on integrating gender considerations throughout all the steps and enabling activities of
the NAP process.
• From Guiding Principles to Action: Integrating a Gender Responsive and Social Inclusive
Approach Into Shared Resources, Joint Solutions (SRJS) Strategies and Results (by the IUCN
Global Gender Office (GGO), for its SRJS initiative, 2017). This document provides guidance on
context analysis and design of activities and indicators with a gender-responsive and socially
inclusive approach. Though not focused on climate change adaptation, the process could inform
EbA initiatives.
• Adaptation, Livelihoods and Ecosystems (ALivE) Planning Tool (by UNEP, the Global
Environment Facility, IISD, IUCN and UNEP’s International Ecosystem Management
Partnership (UNEP-IEMP)). ALivE is a computer-based EbA planning tool that can be used to
understand and analyse the linkages among ecosystems, livelihoods, and climate change and
plan effective EbA solutions.
Dazé, A. Ceinos, A., & Deering, K. (2019). Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis Handbook Version 2.0. CARE
Climate Change and Resilience Platform. https://careclimatechange.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/06/CARE-CVCA-Handbook-EN-v0.8-web.pdf

3. Dazé, A. & Church, C. (2019). Toolkit for a Gender-Responsive Process to Formulate and Implement National
Adaptation Plans (NAPs). International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
https://napglobalnetwork.org/resource/toolkit-for-gender-responsive-national-adaptation-plans/
Dazé, A. & Terton, A. (2021). Toward gender-responsive Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Why it's needed and how to
get there. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
https://www.adaptationcommunity.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Toward-gender-responsive-
EbA.pdf
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). (2016). ALivE – Adaptation Livelihoods and Ecosystems
Planning Tool. https://www.iisd.org/projects/alive-adaptation-livelihoods-and-ecosystems-planning-
tool
Roncerel, A. B., Perch, L., McCue, J., & Zermoglio, F. (2020). Building Resilience with Nature and Gender in the
Eastern Caribbean – A toolkit to Mainstream Ecosystem-based Adaptation Gender Equality and Social
Inclusion. Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qT84dEEb9Q1CJydJ0oJa9DcrunlBRxtg/view