Mainstreaming Gender in Climate Policy Development: Ukraine’s Integrated Approach Amid Economic and Demographic Crises

Overview

• This hybrid side event focuses on how gender is integrated into the design, negotiation, and implementation of Ukraine’s climate and biodiversity policies— LT-LEDS, NDC, NECP and NBSAP to green recovery strategies—amid acute economic contraction (29% GDP drop in 2022, ongoing reconstruction costs >$1 trillion) and demographic collapse (population loss of ~6 million since 2022, with 70% of IDPs being women and children).
• Rather than treating gender as an add-on, the event showcases institutional mechanisms, stakeholder consultation models, and sex-disaggregated indicators that embed diverse gender perspectives during policy formulation. Ukraine’s experience—where women lead 65% of community-level climate adaptation inputs despite holding only 25% of senior environmental roles—offers a replicable framework for conflict-affected and EU-aspiring nations. Aligned with COP30’s emphasis on inclusive policymaking and the enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender, it positions Ukraine as a laboratory for gender-responsive policy cycles under crisis conditions.

Objectives

• Map the Policy Cycle: Illustrate entry points for gender integration at each stage of climate policy development (scoping → drafting → consultation → adoption → M&E).
• Address Conflict Context: Analyze how economic/demographic pressures (e.g., feminized rural labor, male-dominated reconstruction crews) shape inclusive policy design.
• Build Capacity: Exchange on the actionable solutions for gender mainstreaming in fragile settings.