Gender and Inclusion Strategy in the Climate Security Work Gracsious Maviza, Martina Jaskolski, Giulia Caroli, Thea Sunnestvedt, Charlotte Penel, Joyce Takaindisa, Marlene Elias - Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT - Climate security is a prominent discourse in the broader field of climate change. The main argument is that climate change exacerbates existing challenges and threats in communities, compounding instability and potentially leading to displacement, migration or conflict, which may threaten security outcomes. Its effects are not gender-neutral and they vary for different population groups. Women, girls, minority groups, the elderly, the differently abled, for instance, are disproportionately affected and experience differential vulnerabilities linked to their resilience and adaptive capacity to different shocks and hazards. This document provides an outline of how gender and social inclusion and/ or social equity issues should be included in the climate security team’s work – this includes research, policy advocacy, training, and engagement efforts, as well as the team’s internal operations. Caroli et al. (2022) recommend that CGIAR’s gender research moves away from a purely diagnostic approach, which has been used to identify gendered risks and vulnerabilities related to climate change impacts towards embracing a more transformative one. This implies expanding the research focus and promoting the leadership role and capacities of women, youth and minority groups in building climate change resilience, as well as building and maintaining local peace. CGIAR’s Gender Impact Platform and the Alliance’s Gender Research Group also increasingly acknowledge and focus on transformative gender research methodologies and practices, including a manual on gender sensitive adaptation programs. Gender transformative approaches “actively strive to examine, question, and change rigid gender norms and imbalances of power to increase people’s resilience. Gender- transformative activities encourage critical awareness among men and women of gender roles and norms; promote the position of women; challenge the distribution of resources and allocation of duties between men and women; and/or address power relationships between women and others in the community such as service providers or traditional leaders” (CARE, 2010, p.3). This entails examining the root causes of gender inequality and discrimination as well as seeking to redefine systems and institutions that create and perpetuate inequities. This approach aims to transform adverse gender norms and power dynamics into positive ones, thus accelerating the achievement of gender equality. 1GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK Introduction https://gender.cgiar.org/ https://gender.cgiar.org/ https://gender.cgiar.org/tools-methods-manuals/how-design-gender-transformative-smallholder-agriculture-adaptation In the context of climate change adaptation, it refers to approaches that assess how climate mitigation and adaptation approaches, social vulnerability to climate change, and the building of resilient livelihoods may be shaped by (and itself shape) structural inequalities – these may include laws and regulations including land rights, access to resources (including land, water, education, information), institutional structures, and cultural practices. The CGIAR Climate Security Team must deliver work informed by the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Framework. This means we perform gender-sensitive, and, wherever possible, transformative work in the following areas: Policy, Programming (GESI in Advocacy Work, Training and Capacity Development), Finance (Gender Inclusive Finance and Gender Budgeting) and Evidence (GESI in Research) . While fieldwork, due to its short duration, may only offer limited possibilities of transforming gender roles and social structures on the ground, there is still room for Research to challenge assumptions, discuss social structures and inequalities, cultural norms, the intersectionality of risk, and to consider potential social changes with local communities. Training and Capacity Development activities open up spaces for participants to consider and understand gender roles in different ways, to present examples of alternative gender roles, social organization, and power dynamics, and to engage participants in picturing gender transformations in food, land, and water systems. Due to its national or thematic scope, Policy, Strategy, and Programme Advocacy may offer the largest space for wider-scale transformations of the deeper-rooted structural inequalities in societies and governance systems that contribute to gender inequalities through actual policy and programmatic change. Gender work within the GESI Framework has often been synonymized with women and is thus often silent on the role of men and masculinities. However, men play an important and integral part in gender equality and are also significantly affected by climate change and related security issues. To bridge the gap on masculinities research that often emerges in gender research, the CGIAR Climate Security Team’s gender work explicitly includes work on men and masculinities. This strategy spells out how the Climate Security Team’s research considers gender equity and/ equality to ensure compliance with the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles. It seeks to promote gender-sensitive, responsive and transformative research which considers and assesses how particular intersections of identities and social positions impact access to rights and opportunities and how policies, programs, services and laws affect people in different, context-specific or even unexpected ways. Understanding various intersecting systems of inclusion/exclusion and disadvantage/advantage allows a better appreciation of the lived experiences of different groups of women and men and how they compound to shape gender inequality embedded in gender norms and power relations within communities. 2GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK Gender Based Constraints refers to constraints/barriers that women or men face that are a result of their gender (UNICEF, 2017). Gender Equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys. It refers to absence of discrimination based on sex (UNICEF, 2017). Gender Equity refers to addressing gender inequalities that limit a person’s ability to access opportunities to achieve better health, education and economic opportunity based on their gender. Gender equity refers to fairness and justice in actions aiming to rectify historical and social disadvantages while creating an equal and equitable playing field (UNICEF, 2017). Inclusion is a process of improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of people, disadvantaged on the basis of their identity, to take part in society (World Bank Group, 2013). Intersectionality is the way in which various forms of inequality, based on sex and social status, often operate together, and exacerbate each other. Intersectionality considers people’s overlapping identities and experiences to understand the complexity of prejudices they face. In other words, intersectional theory asserts that people are often disadvantaged by multiple sources of oppression: their race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other identity markers (UN Women, 2022). 3 GESI: Basic Concepts and Definitions GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK Ensure that the CS team upholds the do-no-harm principles and does not unintentionally entrench gender inequality. Promote a gender balance in the team composition team on all levels, especially in our hiring processes, while supporting the professional development of all genders on the team. Ensure that the CS Team’s operations, both externally and internally, are based on a sensitivity to gendered needs, problems, and life situations, as well as on actively promoting gender equality and women’s leadership, creating an environment where everyone can thrive. Ensure that the GESI approach is mainstreamed as a cross-cutting issue across all of the team’s workstreams, including project proposals, research design, decision- making processes, as well as the presentation of results and policy advocacy. 4 General Objectives The specific objectives of this strategy are to Provide a strong basis for gender sensitive and transformative research that addresses gendered differences. Contribute to advancing the understanding of gender and intersectional dimensions of climate resilience and peace in the context of food, land, and water systems. Enhance our understanding of gender transformative approaches to climate security both as a concept and applied strategy. Integrate a GESI lens into existing CS research and ensure that in the Climate Security Team’s work and operations, no gender is invisible, ignored or left out. In the context of research, this includes designing and conducting research with a gender-sensitive lens, actively enhancing the participation of all genders in the research process and making research findings relevant to all genders. TEAM OPERATIONS: RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE: GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK Wherever possible, we will promote research approaches that positively influence gender-transformative processes. Ensure that the CS Team’s research goes beyond the minimum standards of gender and inclusion in its research and moves up the continuum to ambitious levels of transformative change. This includes that the CS Team’s products are not only designed to be gender responsive, but also actively promote gender equity, social inclusion, and the transformation of harmful gender norms. 5 Understand the drivers of the gendered differences and perspectives to inform effective and sustainable programmes and policies that engage women, youth, and marginalized groups at all stages of the policy and programme cycle, and that actively address structural inequality in food, land, and water systems. POLICY AND PROGRAMMING: Ensure that the team’s work promotes gender equity and transformation through gender-sensitive and inclusive financing approaches (including gender-sensitive loans, co-design of financing instruments, and gender budgeting). Ensure gender equality in access to finance within the team. FINANCE: GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK FIELD OF ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES Evidence and Research Research Process Ensure that research processes are designed and conducted with a gender- sensitive lens, actively enhancing the participation of all genders in the research process (from the design to the implementation), ensuring that the voices of all people are heard and given relevance, and ensuring that findings are both relevant and made available to all genders. Fieldwork will be designed with a view of the specific needs and situations of the different countries in which research is being carried out, paying attention to locally specific minority and gender dimensions of structural inequality, state fragility, climate change impacts on livelihoods, and displacement processes and outcomes. Ensure consistent use of gender-responsive and inclusive language. Ensure the consideration of pertinent ethical issues that may significantly impact gender/sex and inclusion. Communication of Research Results and Outputs Make it a point that communication about the CS Team’s work uses gender- sensitive language that actively highlights the expertise, knowledge, leadership, and resilience of women, youth and other ethnic minorities. Ensure that all publications and communications released as part of the CS Team’s work present content that has been assessed through a gender lens, and that does not ignore or cause harm to any gender. Showcase success stories of female leaders, youth and ethnic minorities. Ensure consistent use of gender-responsive and inclusive language. Policy, Programming, and Engagement Policy Ensure that programs and solutions informed by and developed as part of the CS Team’s work are at a minimum gender sensitive, as well as accessible and beneficial to all social groups. Ensure that solutions from the CS Team’s work promote both equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. Ensure consistent use of gender-responsive and inclusive language. Ensure the consideration of pertinent ethical issues that may significantly impact gender/sex and inclusion. AREA/ACTIVITY-SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 6GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK FIELD OF ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES Policy, Programming, and Engagement Programming Ensure that policy outputs and advocacy work are based on awareness and evidence of the gendered dimensions and power inequalities surrounding instances of climate change, adaptation, mitigation, resilience building, fragility, conflict, and displacement. Promote a policy outlook that strives towards advancing women’s empowerment and gender and social equality and that values and supports the leadership and capacities of women and other under-represented and marginalized groups for resilience, particularly in situations where women’s voices are under-represented in policy- making processes and women do not yet equally participate in decision-making. Ensure consistent use of gender-responsive and inclusive language. Ensure the consideration of pertinent ethical issues that may significantly impact gender/sex and inclusion. Engagement Ensure that scoping missions, training and awareness sessions, focus groups, workshops, events, and partner meetings organized as part of the CS Team’s work are based on the principle of gender-equal and gender-balanced representation, engagement, participation, decision-making and are designed to benefit all genders equally. In designing programs and events, ensure that events are equally accessible to all genders and participant groups, and that gender contributions, female speakers, and other marginalized participants receive a prominent spot in the program and are not shifted to the end of the program. In research, training programs, workshops, and events, actively welcome and promote the full engagement of female participants, particularly in situations where male participants dominate. Ensure consistent use of gender-responsive and inclusive language. Ensure the consideration of pertinent ethical issues that may significantly impact gender/sex and inclusion. Finance Consider how a financing mechanism or instruments affects women, men, youth, and marginalized groups differently. Ensure that the design of financing products or mechanisms is inclusive and based on the differential needs of different groups and promote locally led, participatory and user-centric design processes. When dealing with budgeting processes, consider gender and inclusive budgeting approaches. Promote equal access to budgets and financing across team members. 7GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 8 Context The CGIAR, in general, and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, in particular, hosts remarkable expertise on gender, social inclusion and social equity whose main mandate is to ensure that equality and inclusion are at the core of the Organization’s research. This strategy will leverage the plethora of methodologies, tools and frameworks that the CGIAR has developed over time, tailoring them to the needs and priorities of the CS team. GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION (GESI): ISSUES TO CONSIDER Researchers must recognize that climate security challenges are not experienced uniformly across populations. As such, they should apply GESI lenses to effectively understand how intersecting social identities such as gender, age, ethnicity, disability, and displacement status shape vulnerability, access to resources, and adaptive capacity (Dutta, 2025; Chaudhary, 2024; Birchall, 2021). They should ensure the use of gender- sensitive to transformative approaches and methodologies by tackling instances of under-representation, differential needs, and systemic disadvantages (Daigle et al., 2025). It is essential to move beyond tokenistic inclusion and address structural inequalities that limit agency and voice. Integrating gender-responsive and socially inclusive approaches into research design, data collection, and analysis enhances the relevance of research findings, promotes equity and inclusion, and reduces bias in research (Nikghadam-Hojjati et al., 2025). This includes using disaggregated data, engaging diverse stakeholders, and promoting inclusive governance models that reflect local realities and power dynamics. The CS research should, therefore, ensure to uphold the principles of social equity and gender sensitivity to ensure inclusive solutions and outcomes. Figure 1 sums up the gender sensitivity continuum, showing the minimum acceptable standards. The figure shows that research can be gender-blind, gender-unaware, or gender-neutral, where gender may be outrightly ignored or may be considered but not fully included in the operationalization of research. The team should aspire to pioneer research that is at least gender responsive and, where possible, gender transformative. GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK https://gender.cgiar.org/ https://alliancebioversityciat.org/research-themes/gender-youth-and-inclusion 9 “Gender transformative” here refers to the situation where gender is fully integrated to inform long-term practical changes in structural gender power relations, norms, roles and inequalities. We acknowledge that it is not necessarily sensible for all research to be designed in a gender-transformative way (depending on the nature of the research) and that it is not always possible for every research project to achieve gender transformation. The Alliance Gender Team suggests the following as some of the key principles to gender transformative approaches, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 1: The Gender Sensitivity Continuum: adapted from Butt et al. 2019. Figure 2: Key Principles for GTAs: Starting List (ABC, 2024). GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 10 MINIMUM STANDARDS In line with the CGIAR and Alliance values and policy commitments, the CS team’s research should always consider equality, diversity, and inclusion, particularly concerning differently abled people and race and ethnicity. The strategy highlights three entry points for the CS Team’s research to ensure gender equality. Firstly, ensure that the research design and methodology incorporate gender, socio-economic status, disability, ethnicity, and other factors to analyze differential impacts, promote participatory approaches to ensure voices of marginalized groups shape the research process, and collect disaggregated data to reveal inequalities and inform solutions. Secondly, ensure inclusivity, equity, and transformative outcomes through promoting policy and institutional engagement practices that promote gender-responsive and socially inclusive policies, gender-sensitive capacity development and partnerships with local actors that create systemic change. Thirdly, we must ensure that our knowledge-sharing and impact processes are gender and inclusion-sensitive by ensuring inclusive communication of findings and thriving for research to lead to concrete actions that improve gender and social inclusion outcomes. On the gender sensitivity continuum, the CS team’s research should at least meet the minimum standards of ambition as the starting point. This is mainly concerned with ensuring due diligence, do-no-harm, risk mitigation, safeguarding and reducing gender- based discrimination and inequalities. For gender-themed research, or where gender is central to the main objectives of the proposed research, the standards may increase to more ambitious levels in gender-focused research and push for the empowerment approach. This is more concerned with increasing economic opportunities, capabilities, freedoms and choices of genders. The goal on the continuum is achieving transformative change epitomized by institutional change and addressing systemic barriers to the economic empowerment of different genders. Source: Gender Equality in Research and Innovation, Official Development Assistance (ODA) (2021). GENDER ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK MINIMUM STANDARDS SUMMARY GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 11 Inequalities in terms of power relations and distributions form part of most gender and social inequality research, while many policies and projects aim to foster the empowerment of certain social groups. Power and empowerment are complex concepts that require a closer look at their definitions. While many different definitions of empowerment exist, most refer to it in terms of a capability approach, describing the process to provide the ability to make strategic life choices to those who have been denied such an ability. The choice over strategic decisions can be conceptualised along three dimensions: 1.Resources: access to material, human and social resources are the precondition to exercise choice, mediated by formal and informal rules. 2.Agency: can be exercised at individual or group level and is central to the conceptualization of empowerment in positive and negative terms: Structural inequality refers to unequal power relationships that are created and maintained through social institutions and patterns of social interaction (such as laws, culture, educational institutions, etc.). Allen (2003) maintains that power should not be understood as a rigid and permanent “thing” that can be had or held by any given person or institution at any given time, but that power is relational and can be temporary coming into effect through relationships and social interactions. Hannah Arendt (1958; 1969) argued that negative forms of power taking the form of power over, Conceptualizing Power in the Context of Gender and Social Inequality Power within: recognizing self-worth and purpose in one’s action Power to: able to realize goals even when opposed by others or norms Power over: actors superseding the agency of others, and exercising control over their lives and resource Power with: achieving goals through collaborative relations or collective action Achievements: are realized when people have agency and access to resources, but cannot be predefined as values and aims vary in different contexts. 3. GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 12 such as domination or manipulation, should not be conceptualized as power at all. Instead, power should be understood as power to or power with, for example the power of working with others through communication and collaboration towards a shared goal, to effect change. A gendered approach that seeks transformative change aims to address deeper normative and structural barriers, which are underpinning and perpetuating gender inequalities. It thereby seeks to reshape unequal power relations and structures, while encompassing an intersectionality approach of marginalization along lines of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, and class. Recognizing that in complex social change processes women, men and individuals of diverse genders are actors and interconnected, the focus on individuals as the unit of analysis in interventions represents a weak mechanism for leveraging change and may risk the outcome of an intervention being short lived. The relational nature of empowerment needs to be emphasized to avoid an overly narrow approach, insufficient for sustained change. Researchers should also assess social, cultural, and institutional arrangements to contextualize structural inequalities in the context of a gender transformative approach. In the context of climate change and climate security, this may include gendered land rights, ownership of assets, laws and regulations, access to education, information, or finance, or cultural rules about accessing and making decisions over resources. GENDER AND CLIMATE FINANCE Gender-sensitive climate finance refers to allocating and managing financial resources for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, specifically addressing gender disparities and promoting gender equality (UNDP, 2021). This approach recognizes that climate change impacts individuals differently based on gender and that women often bear disproportionate burdens and vulnerabilities to climate change effects due to existing social, economic, and cultural inequalities (Kabaseke, 2023: UNDP, 2013). Key components of gender-sensitive climate finance include: Understanding Gender Dynamics: Gender-sensitive climate finance should include a proper understanding of gender dynamics in relation to how climate change impacts men and women differently. This involves recognising gender roles, responsibilities, and power dynamics within communities and understanding how these factors intersect with other forms of inequality, such as class, race, ethnicity, and age. Inclusive Decision-Making Processes: Gender-sensitive climate finance should prioritise inclusive decision-making processes that ensure the meaningful participation of women and men and girls and boys at all levels of planning, implementation, and monitoring of climate actions. This includes promoting women and girl's leadership and representation in climate-related institutions and decision- making bodies. GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 13 Targeted Investments: Gender-sensitive climate finance should also involve targeted investments in initiatives that address the specific needs and priorities of all genders, for example, women, girls, and other marginalised groups. This may include funding projects that, for instance, enhance women's access to clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water and sanitation facilities, disaster preparedness, and climate-resilient livelihoods. Capacity Building and Training: Capacity building and training are essential. Building the capacity of women, men, and marginalised groups to engage in climate action actively is essential for the success of gender-sensitive climate finance initiatives. This involves providing training, education, and skills development opportunities that empower them to participate effectively in climate-related activities and decision-making processes. Monitoring and Evaluation: It is also imperative for climate finance initiatives to incorporate robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of interventions in addressing gender inequalities and advancing gender equality and transformation goals. This includes collecting sex-disaggregated data, conducting gender-sensitive impact assessments, and using participatory evaluation methods to ensure climate finance efforts achieve their intended outcomes for women and men. By integrating a gender-sensitive approach into climate finance mechanisms, governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders can enhance the effectiveness, equity, and sustainability of climate change responses while advancing gender equality and social inclusion objectives. GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK RESEARCH COMPONENTS ISSUES TO CONSIDER Theoretical Background Does the research provision for a robust gender and social inclusion analysis to provide a baseline for understanding the gender equality issues in the country, region, etc? Does the research address and review issues around gender inequalities and social inclusion relevant to its thematic focus? Research design and methodology Conceptual and analytical frameworks: Does the research methodology draw on explicit gender analysis and social inclusion frameworks? Research site and sampling: Social and cultural accessibility: do these pose any challenges to accessing the research site? Does the team have the right people who can navigate these barriers? How safe are the sites for both the research team members and the respondents? How inclusive are your sampling techniques? How is the research capturing and taking care of issues of social/gender differences, e.g., in the composition of focus groups and the range of key informants? Is the methodology addressing intersectionality and social difference, e.g., in selecting study sites and participants? Other methodology issues: Is the research framed in a language that is sensitive to all genders and social groups? Avoid language that shows gender stereotypes and excludes certain social groups Does the proposed data disaggregation capture the range of social differences among all genders? How is the data collection plan framed? Does it make special arrangements for data collection based on gender norms/sensitivity to gender issues, social inclusion issues e.g., access for vulnerable / marginalized respondents etc., power dynamics among respondents and between respondents and researchers? METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES - CHECKLIST 14 EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK RESEARCH COMPONENTS ISSUES TO CONSIDER Research design and methodology How appropriate are the data collection techniques for the research topic? For example, do they allow for creating safe spaces for different population groups to express themselves freely? Does the research adequately consider risks to research subjects, particularly gender-specific risks and risks to vulnerable groups? Does it consider potential ethical issues? What are the mitigation measures? Is the research team conscious of the invisibility of vulnerable population groups and minorities? What is the strategy to overcome this? Potential Impact What are the gender and social inclusion impacts of the research project? If changes in policy and practice are potential impacts what differential impacts are expected for different groups e.g., women and girls, men and boys, differently abled people, low-income brackets, ethnic minorities, migrants etc.? Roles Does the team have a gender and social inclusion specialist? Are the research team members aware of gender and social inclusion issues related to their research? Are there any barriers to recruiting women and girls, men and boys, differently abled people, people from low-income brackets, ethnic minorities, migrants, etc. as researchers and their ability to perform their roles? If so, what measures are taken to address these barriers? 15 POLICY AND PROGRAMMING POLICY COMPONENTS ISSUES TO CONSIDER Policy analysis - Evaluating existing policies How does the policy address gender and minority categories? Does your policy assessment taxonomy involve gender and social inclusion sensitive key words? Does the policy take social differences into account (e.g, gender, disability, income) and provide solutions designed to serve and empower all? Do people from different backgrounds, ages, genders, ethnicities and abilities take active roles in designing the policy? GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK POLICY COMPONENTS ISSUES TO CONSIDER How to inform policy development that is gender- sensitive, - responsive, and - transformative as well as socially inclusive? Has a gender-sensitive and socially inclusive contextual analysis been performed? What are the baseline variables used to measure gender equity and social inclusion? What are the fieldwork results or workshop inputs relevant to gender equality and social inclusion that can inform policy development? How can I ensure that all social groups are well represented and included in policy development? Is gender-disaggregated data being used as evidence in formulating the policy? Who are the actors involved in policy development and what institutions and individuals are taking the lead on policy formulation? Are government institutions and civil society organizations working on gender and social inclusion issues involved in designing the policy? Does the policy respond to context-specific gender and social inclusion dynamics? Does the policy use inclusive and gender-sensitive language? Are there budget provisions for the implementation of gender and inclusion components? How to advance gender-sensitive / transformative and inclusive policy implementation? What are the impacts of policy implementation on different social groups? Also pay attention to differences within categories such as male, female, marginalized groups. Does the policy implementation foresee gender and social inclusion budgeting? Does the policy transform gender roles and address gender-based structural / socio-cultural inequalities? Who is involved in policy implementation, and do gender and social inclusion focused organizations and entities, as well as representatives of different social groups play a significant role? Policy evaluation Who performs policy evaluation and are different social groups equally represented? How does the policy perform vis a vis its gender and social inclusion impact objectives? Are different social groups involved in policy revision and reformulation processes? Are there feedback loops to inform policy development based on evaluations? 16GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK TRAINING / CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT / EVENTS ISSUES TO CONSIDER Event planning Do invitations enable gender balanced participation in the event, including panels, presentations, workshops? Are different social groups equally included and able to participate in the event? Does the wording of the invitation encourage all social groups to participate in the event? Do different social groups get a chance to lead a part of the agenda? Are gender and social inclusion topics featured in the program / mainstreamed into the program and across the sessions? (i.e they should not be mentioned last or only in the last session) Are venue and timing equally accessible by different social groups? How can we ensure the maximum accessibility possible? Does the event design foster the active participation of all social groups in discussion, workshops, etc.? Are organizations and entities specifically promoting gender and social inclusion invited to the event? Avoid relegating gender focused sessions and presentations to women only. Event implementation Does the event take local gender and social dynamics into consideration? Does the event promote gender-sensitive language and language that empowers all genders and social groups? (e.g., “women and men” instead of “men and women”) Does the event provide a space for showcasing the leadership of social minorities? Are all social groups taking an active role in moderating and leading sections of the event? Are the organizers periodically assessing and encouraging the engagement of all social groups? Does the event allow for networking of participants of all social groups? Are there conflict resolution strategies in place to resolve possible social differences in the room? Are venue, food, catering, religious space, etc. sensitive to all social groups? Is there a monitoring process that ensures gender and social inclusion topics are covered throughout the event? 17 POLICY AND PROGRAMMING GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK TRAINING / CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT / EVENTS ISSUES TO CONSIDER Event evaluation Is there an event evaluation process that is sensitive to gender and social inclusion? Is there a process to quantify the participation of different social groups? Have all social groups equally and actively participated in the event / program? Have all social groups benefitted equally from the event / responded positively to the event evaluation? Have discussions adequately addressed gender and social issues? Has sufficient time been allocated to issues, content, and discussions around gender and social inclusion? Have there been social disagreements, tensions, or an avoidance of certain topics? Event reporting Are discussions and results relevant to all social groups included and represented in event reporting? Are issues brought up by all social groups included in reporting? Does the reporting effectively showcase the leadership of all social groups? 18 Groups that should be more actively included Minority groups (ethnic, religious, political, children, youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, people of diverse sexual orientation, people of lower socio- economic status, refugees and migrants etc.) Local community representatives (local and grassroots organizations, local minority groups, local politicians and decision-makers, traditional leaders) Different genders (particularly women and non-binary) Steps towards inclusivity Ensure to invite / address representatives of all relevant population or social groups, political groups, interest groups Use socially sensitive and inclusive language (“differently abled”, gender sensitive, religiously and culturally sensitive) Do not schedule the contributions of gender / minority representatives or their topics at the end of the program / panel Consider translation / interpretation into local languages WAYS TO BE SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE IN POLICY, PROGRAMMING, AND TRAINING / CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK Steps towards inclusivity cont’d Actively promote equality among participants through room setup, program development, time allocations, de-rolling / actively creating a non-hierarchical environment Actively invite the contributions of less included groups Use inclusive communication channels (social media, conventional media outlets (TV, radio), community fora, word of mouth) Equitable participation and engagement Ensure equal access to spaces and program components by all listed groups (e.g. barrier-free access) Provide equal space and opportunities for representation, participation, and leadership to the above-mentioned groups Encourage the session leadership of minority or less included groups Promote a culture of gender sensitivity and transformation, rather than gender neutrality (while acknowledging cultural diversity and sensitivity and not doing harm) Program content Include content relevant to all social groups in the program Showcase achievements of all social groups and highlight achievements of marginalized groups Promote gender sensitivity and transformation in design of program content Ensure culturally sensitive program content Facilitation Ensure culturally sensitive facilitation and engagement style Provide equal opportunities for groups of interest to actively participate in facilitation Ensure the facilitator actively promotes equal participation Active and sensitive management of different personalities and power dynamics, cultural differences 19GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 20 Ethics and safeguarding Qualitative inquiry entails interaction with human subjects through in-depth interviews, participant observations, focus group discussions and other methods of engagement. In most instances, respondents are drawn from different social classes, geospatial locations, and cultural and religious backgrounds, raising several ethical dynamics which need to be handled with caution. Considering this, it is critical for researchers to uphold ethical considerations that will ensure informed consent and voluntary participation and other critical principles as enshrined in the Helsinki Declaration on studies involving human participants. These will safeguard the interests of the participants and ensure that people can opt out of an interview or other research engagements at any time. All research on human subjects must obtain approval through the Alliance’s Institutional Review Board (IRBs) to ensure ethical compliance of research methodologies, processes, and outputs. Organize internal gender trainings for the CS team. Produce a gender checklist for CS team programming, research, output production, and advocacy work to ensure these are aligned with the gender strategy. Ensure that a member of the gender team contributes to / provides comments on the design of proposals, programs, and research methodologies. Review existing projects and outputs for their gender content and identify gaps and priorities for action. Incorporate clear gender targets into our yearly work plans and formulate gender goals that are aligned with those iterated in proposals and programs. Develop an internal gender evaluation mechanism for our own work and outputs (this may include reviewing our own products and outputs on a regular basis, surveys, etc.). Organize a yearly team-internal gender-focused event that evaluates gender outcomes and that updates the team members on new narratives and approaches in the field of gender and climate change. STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THE GENDER STRATEGY: GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 21 Develop a set of good practice examples for gender transformative research, outputs, policy advocacy from CGIAR and our own work that can be showcased as models. Perform internal gender meetings with all operational units of the team – thematic as well as geographic, to identify gender alignment, entry points, and discuss challenges (to ensure that the work of the gender team is not totally removed from / parallel to the work of the other team). Ensure that gender work is not limited to the qualitative research team. GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK 22 Allen, J. (2003). Lost Geographies of Power. Blackwell. Arendt, H. (1958). The Human Condition. University of Chicago Press. Arendt, H. (1969). On Violence. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Birchall, J. (2021). Intersectionality and Responses to Covid-19, Covid Collective Helpdesk Report 3, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, DOI https://doi.org/10.19088/CC.2021.003 CARE (2010). Adaptation, Gender and Women’s Empowerment. CARE International Climate Change Brief, CARE International, London. https://www.care.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CC-2010- CARE_Gender_Brief.pdf Caroli, G., Tavenner, K., Huyer, S., Sarzana, C., Belli, A., Elias, M., Pacillo, G., Läderach, P. (2022). The Gender- Climate-Security Nexus: Conceptual Framework, CGIAR Portfolio Review, and Recommendations towards an Agenda for One CGIAR. Position Paper No. 2022/1. CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security. Chaudhary, A. Z. (2024). Intersectional experiences of rural women: Analyzing impact of gender and class in Aysha Baqir’s Beyond the fields. Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), 13(2), 215-225. Kabaseke, C. (2023). 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The World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0010-8 REFERENCES: GENDER AND INCLUSION STRATEGY IN THE CLIMATE SECURITY WORK https://doi.org/10.19088/CC.2021.003 https://www.care.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CC-2010-CARE_Gender_Brief.pdf https://www.care.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CC-2010-CARE_Gender_Brief.pdf Please share your stories, insights, or suggestions directly with us at: g.caroli@cgiar.org This report is made available as an open-access resource under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Users are welcome to download, print, and adapt the materials for non-commercial purposes, provided proper acknowledgment is given. This research is being implemented by CGIAR researchers from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and was carried out with support of the CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator, the Climate Action Science Program and the Food Frontiers and Security Science Programs. We would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund: https://www.cgiar.org/funders/. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS https://www.cgiar.org/funders/