Mind the GAP

10 December 2019

The Gender Action Plan (GAP) has been a critical driver of progress and action on gender responsive climate change, and there is an urgent need to renew GAP now.

Civil society present at COP25 wants to remind governments of their responsibility to deliver a robust GAP to drive just and effective climate solutions. We are not here to let governments trade off between rights and resources, and we expect them to uphold their human rights commitments and gender equality. We, the people, the rights holders, demand our duty bearers to engage in good faith towards getting an ambitious new GAP.

ECO is disappointed to see governments play politics, create obstruction, and act in what seems like a poor procedural manner that is delaying potential action on the GAP. There is a real lack of political will to actually #ActOnTheGAP, to make certain that the new GAP will ensure momentum, and to achieve a decision on the new GAP now at COP25 and not in the future. This is not the leadership we need from governments on gender equality in this process.

ECO reminds Parties that if they leave here with no decision, they will have lost a critical moment to invest and scale up a gender responsive climate solution. Governments don’t seem to be acting in the name of advancing women’s human rights and gender equality.

There are thousands of women environmental rights defenders and activists, and billions of women who face constant threats and risks to their lives to protect the environment, their land, and their resources. Particularly Indigenous women across the world are relying on governments to deliver a GAP.

ECO calls on ministers to do what their delegations were not willing to do: deliver at the end of the week a GAP that truly contributes to addressing the gender inequalities at the core of the climate crisis.