Invest in Women-Focused Civil Society Organizations in Humanitarian Settings

The first step toward tackling the challenges of climate change is to create a backdrop against which girls and women are empowered to safeguard the environment. Climate change and environmental degradation represent a great threat to poverty reduction, gender equality and to achieving the SDGs. This policy brief examines some useful strategies to promote the inclusion of women in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and negotiations — and ensure their voices are heard.

Infographic on investing in women to tackle climate change and conserve the environment.

An infographic on the importance and benefits of investing in women-focused civil society organizations (CSOs) in humanitarian settings.

Infographic on the importance and benefits of investing in women’s health.

Infographic on meeting the demand for contraception and reproductive health.

Girls and women’s ability to control their own fertility, and to decide if and when to have children and how many children to have, is a bedrock of women’s empowerment, gender equality, and progress for all. Critical to progress is taking action across sectors and at all levels. This policy brief looks at the good examples that show what is needed to secure proper and voluntary contraception and reproductive health services for all girls and women.

The Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation, in partnership with Women Deliver and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), has developed guidance to help auditors to understand gender equality and its place in the 2030 Agenda, and to plan either an audit focused on SDG 5—gender equality and women’s empowerment—or an audit that examines gender equality within other SDGs, such as poverty, hunger, health, or education.

Infographic on respecting, protecting, and fulfilling the sexual health and rights of girls and women.

A world without fear, stigma, or discrimination is a prerequisite for gender equality, as is girls’ and women’s ability to live according to their sexual health and rights. In order to realize these rights, governments and civil society partners need to adopt comprehensive approaches to protect and uphold them while empowering individuals to claim their rights, including: strong legal and policy frameworks; access to information and comprehensive sexuality education; protecting the rights of marginalized groups; ensuring accountability; and involving men and boys in national efforts to respect, protect, and fulfill sexual rights.

An infographic on the importance of scaling up gender-sensitive humanitarian action.