Integrating Gender Equality in the UNCCD

This grant represents Canada’s long-term institutional support to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The UNCCD uses these funds and other donors’ funding to deliver its mandate. Established in 1994 the UNCCD is the only legally binding agreement that brings together the environment development and sustainable land management. Accelerating rates of desertification land degradation and drought in developing countries exacerbate poverty and reduce resilience in the face of environmental crises particularly for women and girls. Every day women and girls face discrimination unequal rights to land and other resources and a disproportionate amount of care and domestic work. However they are key agents of change for the world to collectively manage land more sustainably reduce biodiversity loss and adapt to and mitigate drought impacts. Since rejoining the UNCCD in 2017 Canada has underlined the importance of advancing gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women and girls to enhance global efforts in achieving land degradation neutrality and Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Life on Land. Through long-term institutional support strengthening the integration of gender equality Canada supports the Convention Secretariat and the Global Mechanism in implementing the UNCCD’s Gender Action Plan.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved implementation of the UNCCD Gender Action Plan including strengthened women’s access and rights to land and enhanced women’s access to sustainable land management technologies; and (2) improved design and implementation of large-scale and financially viable gender-responsive land degradation neutrality transformative projects.