As the humid air of Belém, Brazil, played host to the high-stakes negotiations of COP30, a landmark victory for gender equality was etched into the global climate record. UN Women has officially signaled its enthusiastic support for the adoption of the Belém Gender Action Plan (GAP), a strategic blueprint designed to steer climate policy through the next nine years. This decision marks a transformative shift in how the international community perceives the relationship between environmental degradation and social equity, positioning the rights of women and girls not as a secondary concern, but as the very foundation of effective climate resilience.
The adoption of the Belém GAP arrives at a critical juncture. For decades, climate activists have argued that the impacts of a warming planet are far from gender-neutral. From the increased burden of unpaid care work following natural disasters to the heightened risks of gender-based violence in displaced communities, women have long been on the front lines of the crisis. The new plan acknowledges these realities with unprecedented specificity, moving beyond broad platitudes to address the intricate intersections of health, safety, and economic security.
One of the most significant breakthroughs in the Belém GAP is its explicit focus on the protection of women environmental defenders. In many parts of the world, women leading the charge against deforestation, pollution, and land-grabbing face systemic harassment, legal threats, and physical violence. By incorporating formal protection mechanisms into the climate agenda, COP30 has recognized that the fight for the planet cannot be won if those guarding it are left vulnerable. This inclusion represents a hard-won victory for grassroots organizers who have spent years demanding that their safety be prioritized in international treaties.
Furthermore, the plan delves into the often-overlooked realm of the “care economy” and its ties to environmental sustainability. As climate change disrupts traditional agricultural cycles and increases the prevalence of water scarcity, the labor required to sustain households—tasks disproportionately performed by women—intensifies. The Belém GAP advocates for a “socially just transition” that accounts for this unpaid labor, while also pushing for the creation of decent work and quality jobs for women in the emerging green economy. The goal is to ensure that as the world moves away from fossil fuels, women are not left behind in low-wage sectors but are instead leaders in renewable energy, sustainable tech, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Intersectionality is the heartbeat of this new framework. In a departure from “one-size-fits-all” policy-making, the Belém GAP specifically identifies the unique challenges faced by women with disabilities, Indigenous women, and women from rural and remote communities. It also highlights the specific vulnerabilities and leadership potential of women and girls of African descent, acknowledging how historical and systemic inequalities exacerbate climate risks. By naming these groups, the GAP ensures that the “means of implementation”—the actual money and technology deployed—is directed toward those who need it most and who possess the traditional knowledge necessary to heal local ecosystems.
Sarah Hendriks, Director of the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women, emphasized the organization’s commitment to turning these high-level promises into reality. “UN Women stands ready to work with all Parties and relevant stakeholders to bridge the gaps, so the Gender Action Plan becomes a tool for inclusive, effective and sustainable implementation for gender-responsive climate action that benefit women and girls in all their diversity,” Hendriks stated. Her message underscores a vital truth: a plan is only as good as its execution.
For the Belém GAP to succeed where previous initiatives have faltered, it must be anchored in robust human rights principles. This requires more than just signatures on a document; it demands a significant mobilization of finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. Advocates are calling for “gender-responsive climate finance,” which ensures that climate funds are accessible to women-led grassroots organizations rather than being trapped in bureaucratic bottlenecks. Without dedicated funding, the ambitious goals of the GAP—ranging from women’s leadership in climate governance to gender-balanced participation in technical committees—risk remaining aspirational.
The structure of the Gender Action Plan is built upon five essential priority areas that serve as a framework for global accountability. The first is capacity-building and knowledge management, which aims to empower local communities with the data and skills needed to navigate a changing environment. The second focuses on gender balance and leadership, challenging the male-dominated status quo of international diplomacy. The third, coherence, seeks to align gender goals across all UN agencies and national governments. The fourth is the most critical: gender-responsive implementation, which focuses on the “how” of climate action. Finally, monitoring and reporting ensure that countries are held to their word, creating a transparent record of progress—or lack thereof.
The context of this announcement is rooted in the broader work of the Rio Conventions, which include the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). UN Women has been a consistent voice across these platforms, arguing that the health of the planet is inextricably linked to the empowerment of its female population. When women have equal access to land rights, education, and financial resources, the results are measurable: crop yields increase, carbon footprints shrink, and communities become more resilient to extreme weather events.
As the world looks toward the nine-year horizon established by the Belém GAP, the focus shifts from the halls of COP30 to the national legislatures and local councils where policy is enacted. The success of this plan will be measured by whether a rural woman in the Amazon can access the technology she needs to protect her crops, whether an Indigenous leader in the Arctic is given a seat at the decision-making table, and whether the “green transition” actually results in better lives for women and girls globally.
UN Women’s role in this journey remains steadfast. As the lead UN entity for gender equality, the organization continues to lobby for changes in laws and social behaviors that hinder progress. Their mission is built on the belief that gender equality is not a “special interest” issue but a fundamental human right that serves as the linchpin for all global progress. In the face of an accelerating climate crisis, the Belém Gender Action Plan offers a glimmer of hope—a roadmap that proves when we center the rights of women and girls, we create a more sustainable and just world for everyone.
The road ahead is undoubtedly steep. The challenges of climate change are compounding, and the political will to fund gender-centric initiatives can be fickle. However, the adoption of the Belém GAP provides a formal, internationally recognized mandate that activists and policymakers can use to demand accountability. It is a reminder that in the fight for our planet, the most effective tool we have is the inclusion of the diverse voices, talents, and leadership of women. As the Belém outcome makes clear, the future of climate action is gender-responsive, or it is no future at all.
