As the humid heat of the Amazonian rainforest framed the high-stakes negotiations of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, a historic milestone was reached that promises to redefine the global approach to environmental policy. The international community has officially adopted the Belém Gender Action Plan (GAP), a comprehensive nine-year roadmap designed to ensure that gender equality is not merely a footnote in climate discussions, but the very engine driving implementation. This decision marks a definitive shift in how the world perceives the intersection of social equity and ecological survival, positioning the rights of women and girls as the cornerstone of a sustainable future.
UN Women has been quick to champion this outcome, characterizing the Belém GAP as a vital blueprint for the next decade of climate action. The plan arrives at a critical juncture; as the climate crisis intensifies, the disproportionate burden borne by women—particularly those in the Global South—has become impossible to ignore. From the front lines of extreme weather events to the complex negotiations of international finance, the Belém GAP seeks to dismantle the systemic barriers that have historically excluded women from decision-making and resource allocation.
The newly adopted framework is remarkable for its breadth and specificity. Unlike previous iterations, the Belém GAP introduces robust provisions addressing the most pressing challenges of our time: the health impacts of climate change, the escalating rates of violence against women and girls in disaster-stricken areas, and the urgent need for protection mechanisms for women environmental defenders. These defenders, who often operate at the intersection of land rights and conservation, face unprecedented risks of harassment and physical violence. By codifying their protection within the climate agenda, the international community has sent a clear message that those who guard our planet must themselves be guarded.
Furthermore, the Belém GAP breaks new ground by integrating the “care economy” into the climate narrative. It recognizes that the transition to a green economy must be a “just transition,” one that values care work and ensures that the shift toward sustainability creates decent, high-quality jobs for women. Historically, the labor of women in maintaining households and communities has been undervalued and overlooked in economic modeling. The Belém GAP challenges this status quo, advocating for socially just transitions that recognize the intrinsic link between environmental resilience and the economic empowerment of women.
One of the most significant triumphs of the Belém negotiations is the explicit recognition of intersectionality. The document acknowledges that “women” are not a monolith. The realities of the climate crisis are experienced differently by women with disabilities, Indigenous women, women from rural and remote communities, and women and girls of African descent. By naming these specific groups, the GAP ensures that policies are not “one-size-fits-all” but are instead tailored to the unique vulnerabilities and expertise of those who are often the most marginalized. For Indigenous women, who serve as the traditional custodians of biodiversity, this recognition is a long-overdue validation of their leadership and ancestral knowledge.
However, the adoption of the plan is only the beginning. For the Belém GAP to fulfill its transformative potential, its implementation must be anchored in the bedrock of human rights. Experts and advocates emphasize that without adequate “means of implementation”—specifically finance, technology transfer, and capacity building—the plan risks becoming a collection of aspirational goals rather than a catalyst for change. The call for gender-responsive climate finance is particularly urgent. Currently, only a fraction of global climate funding reaches grassroots women’s organizations. The Belém GAP aims to correct this imbalance, ensuring that resources are directed to the local levels where they can have the most immediate impact.
Sarah Hendriks, the Director of the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women, underscored the organization’s commitment to this mission. “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 words reflect a broader consensus that the success of the Paris Agreement and subsequent climate pacts depends entirely on whether they serve the whole of humanity, rather than just a privileged few.
To understand the weight of the Belém GAP, one must look at the history of the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan. Initially conceived as a guidance document, the GAP has evolved into a sophisticated framework organized around five priority areas: capacity-building, knowledge management, and communication; gender balance and women’s leadership; coherence within the UN system; gender-responsive implementation; and rigorous monitoring and reporting. This structure ensures that gender mainstreaming is not a sporadic effort but a coherent, measurable process at all levels of governance.
The logic behind the GAP is rooted in the undeniable fact that climate change is not gender-neutral. In many parts of the world, women are the primary providers of food, water, and fuel. When droughts dry up wells or floods destroy crops, it is women who must travel further and work harder to sustain their families, often at the cost of their education, health, and safety. Conversely, when women are given equal access to resources and leadership roles, climate outcomes improve. Studies have shown that communities with higher levels of women’s political representation are more likely to ratify environmental treaties and implement stringent climate policies.
UN Women’s role in this ecosystem is multifaceted. As the lead United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality, the organization works to shift the very foundations of society—laws, institutions, and social behaviors. In the context of the Rio Conventions (which cover biodiversity, climate change, and desertification), UN Women acts as a bridge between high-level policy and on-the-ground reality. Their work ensures that the rights of women and girls remain at the center of global progress, reflecting the organization’s core belief that gender equality is not just a goal, but a fundamental identity and a prerequisite for peace and prosperity.
The atmosphere in Belém following the adoption of the plan was one of cautious optimism. While the document provides the necessary roadmap, the journey ahead is fraught with challenges. The next nine years will be a test of political will. Will wealthy nations provide the necessary finance? Will local governments integrate the GAP into their national climate plans? Will the voices of women environmental defenders be heard in the halls of power?
The Belém Gender Action Plan is a testament to the decades of tireless advocacy by feminist activists and civil society organizations who refused to let gender be sidelined. It is a recognition that we cannot solve a global crisis by ignoring the perspectives of half the population. As the world looks toward the future, the Belém GAP stands as a beacon of hope—a promise that the path to a cooler planet will be paved with justice, equity, and the unwavering leadership of women and girls.
In the coming months, the focus will shift from negotiation to activation. UN Women, along with its partners, will begin the arduous task of translating the plan’s high-level mandates into tangible programs. This includes training for climate negotiators, developing gender-disaggregated data to better understand climate impacts, and launching initiatives that support women-led climate adaptation projects. The goal is clear: to ensure that by the time the next nine years have passed, the Belém Gender Action Plan will be remembered not just as a document signed in Brazil, but as the turning point when the world finally realized that climate justice and gender justice are one and the same.
