Nature for Life Hub
MAINSTREAMING GENDER EQUALITY INTO NBSAPS
Task 5: Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
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Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
It is important to strive towards gender-balanced leadership in all groups that work on NBSAPs, from national NBSAP governance bodies to local-level implementing groups. Governments can take steps to help ensure that women also hold leadership positions within NBSAP governance bodies and other decision-making groups related to biodiversity policy. Countries can design strategies to ensure that leadership opportunities in biodiversity planning are available to women and men. It can be helpful to convene national experts to develop recommendations to address gender disparities in leadership and provide women with capacity development opportunities, such as trainings on public speaking or resource management, to increase their confidence as leaders and agents of change.
The benefit of women’s leadership
Up next
The benefit of women’s leadership
National focal points to the CBD are more often men than women. Yet, studies show that when women are able to lead alongside men in policy negotiations, they advocate for more concrete and ambitious outcomes and achieve more enduring agreements. Women leaders also tend to pay more attention to the needs of other women, youth, and marginalized groups. Similar to women’s participation in consultations, the leadership of women shouldn’t just exist “on paper,” but should be recognized by other actors and influence biodiversity planning strategies and results.
Countries are advised to create leadership positions that are equally available to women and men and to develop mechanisms to support the women who obtain them.
Want more? Learn how the Gender Plan of Action addresses the issue of women’s leadership.
Learn more
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Up next
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
To ensure women are considered as leaders, it is important to provide opportunities to increase their knowledge of biodiversity and related activities. This can help them develop new skills, which will enable them to increase their legitimacy as leaders and actors of change. An effective way to obtain and share this knowledge is to organize trainings specifically for women on various topics.
Topic examples
Allowing women to meet independently from men, but with the support of a group or peers, often improves training outcomes as it creates a sense of belonging and builds a network. This structure also allows women to learn in a setting where they are not intimidated or restricted by the presence of men.
Questions to consider
Up next
Questions to consider
During NBSAP planning, monitoring, and reporting, governments can consider the following questions:
- How is leadership structured in NBSAP governance bodies?
- Are leadership positions occupied by both women and men?
- What barriers might be refraining women from taking leadership positions?
- What mechanisms are in place to address barriers and support women in accessing leadership opportunities?
- Do current leaders and key actions understand the opportunity that women’s leadership brings?
- Are there concrete examples of the way that women’s leadership impacts decisions made by NBSAP governance bodies?
- Are women trained to develop and strengthen leadership skills, such as negotiation, facilitation, and public speaking?
Close this task and proceed on your journey
Task complete
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
The 2022-2030 Gender Plan of Action recognizes that “the full and effective participation and leadership of women in all aspects of Convention processes, particularly in policy and action at national and local levels, is vital for achieving long-term biodiversity goals and the 2050 Vision of living in harmony with nature.” In its second objective, the plan also calls for Parties to “increase opportunities and strengthen the meaningful and effective participation and leadership of women at all levels of action, engagement, and decision-making related to the three objectives of the Convention."
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
Journey 22 - Task 5
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Transcript
Nature for Life Hub
MAINSTREAMING GENDER EQUALITY INTO NBSAPS
Task 5: Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
It is important to strive towards gender-balanced leadership in all groups that work on NBSAPs, from national NBSAP governance bodies to local-level implementing groups. Governments can take steps to help ensure that women also hold leadership positions within NBSAP governance bodies and other decision-making groups related to biodiversity policy. Countries can design strategies to ensure that leadership opportunities in biodiversity planning are available to women and men. It can be helpful to convene national experts to develop recommendations to address gender disparities in leadership and provide women with capacity development opportunities, such as trainings on public speaking or resource management, to increase their confidence as leaders and agents of change.
The benefit of women’s leadership
Up next
The benefit of women’s leadership
National focal points to the CBD are more often men than women. Yet, studies show that when women are able to lead alongside men in policy negotiations, they advocate for more concrete and ambitious outcomes and achieve more enduring agreements. Women leaders also tend to pay more attention to the needs of other women, youth, and marginalized groups. Similar to women’s participation in consultations, the leadership of women shouldn’t just exist “on paper,” but should be recognized by other actors and influence biodiversity planning strategies and results.
Countries are advised to create leadership positions that are equally available to women and men and to develop mechanisms to support the women who obtain them.
Want more? Learn how the Gender Plan of Action addresses the issue of women’s leadership.
Learn more
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Up next
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
To ensure women are considered as leaders, it is important to provide opportunities to increase their knowledge of biodiversity and related activities. This can help them develop new skills, which will enable them to increase their legitimacy as leaders and actors of change. An effective way to obtain and share this knowledge is to organize trainings specifically for women on various topics.
Topic examples
Allowing women to meet independently from men, but with the support of a group or peers, often improves training outcomes as it creates a sense of belonging and builds a network. This structure also allows women to learn in a setting where they are not intimidated or restricted by the presence of men.
Questions to consider
Up next
Questions to consider
During NBSAP planning, monitoring, and reporting, governments can consider the following questions:
Close this task and proceed on your journey
Task complete
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider
The 2022-2030 Gender Plan of Action recognizes that “the full and effective participation and leadership of women in all aspects of Convention processes, particularly in policy and action at national and local levels, is vital for achieving long-term biodiversity goals and the 2050 Vision of living in harmony with nature.” In its second objective, the plan also calls for Parties to “increase opportunities and strengthen the meaningful and effective participation and leadership of women at all levels of action, engagement, and decision-making related to the three objectives of the Convention."
Section overview
Start
Entry point 5: Leadership opportunities
The benefit of women’s leadership
Enhancing capacity and opportunities for leadership
Questions to consider