United Nations Environment Programme
Convention on Biological Diversity
The first dialogue in the EMG’s two-part series on gender and biodiversity explored how gender equality, human rights and biodiversity are connected across UN system efforts. Representatives from the CBD Secretariat, OHCHR, UN Women, the Global Environment Facility and UNFCCC discussed the institutional and systemic factors that shape women’s participation in biodiversity governance, including access to land and natural resources, decision-making power, finance and technical capacity.
The discussion highlighted the importance of moving beyond viewing women and girls simply as vulnerable groups, and instead addressing the structures and norms that create vulnerability and exclusion. Participants also identified the need for stronger gender-responsive biodiversity planning, improved sex-disaggregated data, and closer links between biodiversity policy and wider gender equality commitments such as CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action.
The Dialogue helped identify practical entry points for UN action, including gender-responsive National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, stronger support for women’s organizations, improved statistical capacity, and greater attention to gender in emerging biodiversity issues such as nature-based solutions.