Around the world, women are leading efforts to adapt to and mitigate the causes of climate change, protect our planet’s biodiversity, and innovate sustainable solutions for the future. When women are empowered and have equal opportunities to contribute to sustainable development, it leads to concrete benefits for people and the planet.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) understands that tackling the world’s most pressing environmental challenges requires diverse skills and knowledge and innovative perspectives. As such, investing in women and supporting their leadership is central to the GEF mission.

Recognizing that a gender responsive approach is key to tackling the drivers of environmental degradation, the GEF has made gender mainstreaming a continued priority over the years. With the recently updated Policy on Gender Equality and collaboration across the GEF Partnership developing tools such as the Guidance on Gender Equality and the Online Course on Gender and the Environment, GEF projects and programs worldwide are investing in women to deliver greater environmental benefits at both local and global levels.

On this International Women’s Day, which celebrates the role of women in achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world, the GEF is highlighting five of our initiatives with the GEF Small Grants Program (SGP), where women are shaping a more equitable, sustainable future for us all.
In Costa Rica, rural women grow their own businesses and more women led projects read further from the source