Land and land-based natural resources are the foundation of livelihoods for millions of people and are related to social, cultural and spiritual identity.This is particularly the case for drylands people, who, due to low and variable rainfall and water availability, have developed adaptive strategies in response to seasonal, climatic and environmental change. Gender roles play an important role in these dynamics, where men and women often undertake different livelihood activities to manage difficult ecological conditions. Consequently, socio-cultural norms embedded within dryland systems have changed over time to govern land and natural resources, often on a communal basis. The objective of the study is to propose strategic actions in the policy, institutional and capacity spheres to advance the gender equality and women’s empowerment agenda in the drylands, in three thematic areas: land rights, resilience and governance. These reports are targeted at policy-makers, but are also of relevance to other drylands stakeholders including civil society, political leaders, traditional authorities and dryland communities and women.