COP28: Suggested commitments for addressing gender gaps in disaster risk reduction

This technical support paper prepared by UN Women suggests commitments for closing the gender gaps in disaster and climate risk reduction and resilience in preparation for critical international and national DRR conferences and processes in 2023, such as the High-Level Meeting on the Sendai Framework Mid Term Review. 

This paper presents the below proposed commitments for addressing gender gaps:

1. Leverage women’s voice, agency, and leadership for resilience and address the structural barriers, capacity gaps, and discriminatory attitudes that restrict their meaningful participation.  
2. Institutionalise the systematic collection, use and reporting of gender data including sex, age, and disability data at all levels. 
3. Develop gender-responsive frameworks (laws, policies, strategies, and plans) founded on the needs and priorities of women in all their diversity.  
4. Increase financial resources for gender equality and women’s empowerment and leadership in disaster and climate risk reduction and resilience. 
5. Foster gender-responsive coordination mechanisms and partnerships to secure more inclusive decision-making. 
6. Support targeted action for increasing women’s resilience to multiple hazards focusing on their access to gender responsive early warning systems; resources, assets, services and infrastructure that build resilience; and securing women’s resilient livelihoods and businesses