Generating Resilience and Opportunities for Women (GROW)

Generating Resilience and Opportunities for Women (GROW) is sponsored by USAID (United States Agency for International Development). GROW advances gender priorities in USAID's agrifood and water systems and climate adaptation programs.

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K, P. L. 117-328) and House Report 117-401 In this section / Introduction and Key Themes 1.

Introduction and Key Themes 1. Natural Resources, Conflict, and Fragility: 2. Gender-Based Violence and Social Impacts: 3.

Innovation and Economic Participation: 2. U.S. Government Policy Alignment 5. Priority Lines of Effort 1.

Policy, Diplomacy, and Outreach (PDO) 3. Capacity Building (CB) 6. Summary of United States Government Actions to Advance Priority Lines of Effort ### Introduction and Key Themes Women and girls, in all their diversity, play a critical role in addressing the climate crisis as we seek to limit global temperature increase to 1.

5 degrees Celsius and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, high priorities of the United States that are reflected in our nationally determined contribution and other efforts at home and abroad.

Research shows that climate change does not affect women and men equally, with women suffering disproportionate impacts and experiencing underrepresentation in climate decision-making in all sectors and at all levels, which reduces the likelihood of their perspectives being incorporated and limits outcomes for all of society.

Climate change impacts are also compounded for women and girls of color, Indigenous women and girls, women and girls with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ persons, among others. A deeper understanding of women’s and girls’ diverse needs, challenges, and opportunities is required to ensure effective responses to climate change.

Despite these challenges, women and girls around the world are leading efforts to mitigate, adapt to, and address the impacts of climate change. This strategy outlines U.S. government efforts to empower women and girls politically, economically, and socially – and facilitate meaningful inclusion of their needs and perspectives in decision-making – as we seek to achieve a more equitable and sustainable future.

The nexus of gender equality and climate change can be categorized into three overarching themes that align with U.S. government policy priorities: advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda; preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV); and promoting women’s economic security (WES).

### Natural Resources, Conflict, and Fragility: Due to gender inequality, conflict and disasters adversely and disproportionately affect women and girls. Climate change impacts, such as extreme weather events, food and water insecurity, and natural resource degradation, are threat multipliers and increase risks of displacement, migration, and conflict, especially in regions that suffer from instability.

In many parts of the world, women and girls are particularly vulnerable to these stressors, because their livelihoods and care work responsibilities depend on accessing climate-impacted resources (e.g., land, food, water, fuel) or controlling and maintaining those resources as smallholder farmers and informal natural resource managers.

As scarcity worsens, women and girls tend to be most impacted by food shortages and malnutrition and increasingly encounter insecurity and violence as they travel to far or unfamiliar destinations or experience resource competition. Despite these threats, they are contributing to peace-building and sustainability in their communities through locally informed, innovative solutions.

This gender-climate theme aligns with the U.S. government’s priority to advance the WPS agenda. ### Gender-Based Violence and Social Impacts: When climate-related disasters strike, women’s and girls’ economic and educational opportunities and access to health care services are disrupted, contributing to mortality and adverse health impacts.

Climate change shapes the quantity, quality, and availability of basic resources, including those necessary to maintain menstrual health and hygiene. Climate disasters and stressors heighten women’s and girls’ risks of experiencing GBV, whether in communities, the home, on migration or collection routes, or in temporary shelters.

Furthermore, as climate stressors threaten resources and livelihoods, women and girls are typically the first to forego food, and child, early, and forced marriages often increase as families feel pressure to reduce expenses. Such economic insecurities induced by climate disasters and stressors can elevate the risk of trafficking in persons.

GBV also harms women’s and girls’ leadership and action in addressing the climate crisis and environmental challenges. For example, in response to their efforts to promote accountability for governments and private sector actors, women environmental defenders face increased risk of retaliation, threats, and violence online and offline.

This gender-climate theme aligns with the U.S. government’s priority to prevent and respond to GBV globally. ### Innovation and Economic Participation: It is critical to ensure that women and girls have the education, training, mentorship, assets, and financing to lead or work in the green (e.g., energy, transport, agriculture, forestry) and blue (e.g., fisheries, maritime transport, coastal resources) economies.

To access these opportunities, education and training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields must be emphasized. Proactive efforts are key to facilitating women’s participation and leadership since they face myriad institutional, structural, and cultural barriers to their inclusion.

Whether through legal restrictions or social norms, some women are prohibited from working in relevant sectors, while others do not have the right to own land.

Women are overrepresented as workers in many industries that have a direct impact on or are directly impacted by climate change (e.g., agriculture, fishing, garment industries, tourism), presenting opportunities for women’s climate innovation while simultaneously challenging their livelihoods.

Women’s access to and uptake of climate-smart technologies remains limited, including for women smallholder farmers, who often do not have land rights or deeds. This gender-climate theme aligns with the U.S. government’s priority to promote WES.

### U.S. Government Policy Alignment To empower women and girls as climate leaders and to strengthen their climate resilience, the United States has integrated cross-cutting climate action and gender equality priorities into several landmark strategies, policies, and initiatives.

Addressing the nexus of gender and climate change is a priority of the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality (NGS) (strategic priority 8), the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally (objective 2. 7), and the Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Fund.

The U.S. Strategy on Global Women’s Economic Security recognizes climate change as a context-setting factor, while the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 and U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security seek to integrate women into conflict and disaster prevention, preparedness, and response.

The President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE) brings the full force of 19 federal agencies to advance adaptation in climate-vulnerable countries and addresses long-standing climate challenges that disproportionately affect women and others who have historically been excluded.

Other relevant policy frameworks and initiatives include, but are not limited to: the Adaptation Communication of the United States, Global Fragility Act, U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy, U.S. Global Water Strategy, and the White House Action Plan on Global Water Security.

* **Integrate** efforts to advance gender equality and promote climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience. * **Address** impacts of climate change on and advance meaningful participation of women and girls by linking climate security with the WPS agenda, preventing and responding to GBV, and promoting WES.

* **Empower**women and girls as leaders in generating climate change solutions through policy, diplomacy, outreach, and programming. Address how aspects of an individual’s identity intersect to create different experiences of discrimination and privilege.

Consider the historic, sociocultural, and systemic disadvantages and power imbalances members of different groups face, and recognize their strength, resilience, and leadership in developing tailored solutions. Build partnerships with local stakeholders, including individuals, communities, networks, organizations, private entities, and governments, and enable them to set their own agendas and co-create solutions.

This includes engaging men and boys as partners in advancing gender equality in the context of climate change. Commit to principles of safety, respect, confidentiality, and non-discrimination in all our work to take care not to put survivors, program participants, staff, and community members at physical or emotional risk.

### Priority Lines of Effort The U.S. government is committed to advancing a two-pronged approach to efforts related to women and climate change: (1) address disproportionate impacts of the effects of climate change on women and girls; and (2) empower women and girls as leaders in addressing climate change.

The following priority lines of effort integrate objectives set forth in the NGS, U.S. Strategy on WPS, U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to GBV Globally, U.S. Strategy on Global WES, and PREPARE, and their advancement necessitates ongoing engagement in multilateral forums and with civil society experts and practitioners.

Implementation and accountability for this _United States_ _Strategy to Respond to the Effects of Climate Change on Women_ will be achieved through two reporting channels, coordinated by the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and counterparts at the U.S. Department of State: (1) Formal updates will be provided through established reporting processes for relevant U.S. government strategies with aligned objectives; and (2) Informal, quarterly updates will be provided through an interagency working group facilitated by the White House Gender Policy Council and National Security Council.

### Policy, Diplomacy, and Outreach (PDO) **PDO1:** Reduce barriers that impede women’s and girls’ abilities to engage or lead in climate change and natural resource decision-making, peace-building, and relief and recovery at local, sub-national, national, and international levels.

**PDO2:**Anticipate and address increased risks of GBV and threats to well-being resulting from climate-related disasters, natural resource scarcity, or efforts to protect the environment and deploy climate solutions.

**PDO3:**Promote women’s access to green and blue economy jobs and facilitate women’s and girls’ climate entrepreneurship and innovation, including in STEM fields, to advance energy and other industrial transitions toward sustainability and improve women’s economic security. **PDO4:**Amplify the work and voices of women and girls leading climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience efforts in all sectors and at all levels.

**PRG1:**Continue developing and funding programs, including through the GEEA Fund, that advance women’s and girls’ climate leadership by facilitating training for and access to green and blue jobs, creating climate-smart entrepreneurship opportunities, addressing climate change-related GBV, or promoting women’s access to climate finance.

**PRG2:** Maximize efforts to build collaboration across climate change programming and gender equality programming via program design, implementation, and evaluation that integrates best practices from each field (e.g., gender diversity and balance, gender analysis, climate risk assessments, sex-disaggregated data collection, environment and gender monitoring indicators).

**PRG3:** Invest in programs that advance land rights for women, with emphasis on Indigenous women, enabling their economic security and ability to conserve and protect land and resources, including efforts to reduce deforestation, overgrazing, and land degradation.

### Capacity Building (CB) **CB1:** Institutionalize PDO and PRG efforts on the nexus of gender equality and climate change through consistent interagency coordination, as well as coordination within departments, agencies, and bureaus, as appropriate.

**CB2:** Increase awareness and understanding of the nexus of gender equality and climate change, as well as its ability to impact both gender equality and climate change priorities, within departments, agencies, and bureaus.

* ## Appendix A ### Summary of United States Government Actions to Advance Priority Lines of EffortThe following represents a non-exhaustive list of recent or ongoing projects, initiatives, and programs related to Policy, Diplomacy, and Outreach (PDO), Programming (PRG), and Capacity Building (CB) priority lines of effort on the nexus of gender equality and climate change.

**Accelerated Innovation Delivery – Initiative (AID-I):** As part of Feed the Future, this joint USAID and Department of State initiative is a two-year rapid response effort to expedite assistance to up to 6 million African smallholder famers in response to the global food security crisis.

AID-I will deliver targeted investments to expand access to climate-adapted, nutrient-dense, and stress-tolerant crop varieties; provide agricultural advisory services and capacity building; increase access to finance and inputs; and improve fertilizer use efficiency and soil health.

AID-I partners are committed to mainstreaming gender and social inclusion: following a gender landscape assessment, AID-I partners will be able deliver tailored capacity building programming for women smallholder farmers.

**_(PDO3, PRG1, PRG2)_** **Accelerating Women’s Empowerment in Energy (AWEE):**The Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources’ AWEE program helps secure women’s economic futures through green jobs, with a focus on Kenya and South Africa.

The program will provide grants to local organizations to address barriers to women’s entry, promotion, and retention in the clean energy sector and increase women’s participation in the clean energy workforce. AWEE helps extend the principles of the Department of State’s Women in Energy Strategy to Africa.

**_(PDO3, PRG1, PRG2)_** **Advancing Gender in the Environment (AGENT):** AGENT, funded through USAID, works to fill critical information gaps, make the case for, and provide tailored technical support on the link between gender and the environment, with a focus on climate change.

Amongst its activities, AGENT supports national governments to develop action plans—building on their national climate plans—to address climate-related gender inequality.

**_(PDO1, PDO2, PDO4, PRG1, PRG2)_** **Archipelago of Drought:**Archipelago of Drought, a grant funded by U.S. Embassy Jakarta, builds the capacity of Indonesian journalists to understand, report on, and advocate for more in-depth reporting that examines the impending water crisis and effects on vulnerable populations, including burdens on women and girls.

The program aims to draw attention to and influence policymaking processes from the local to national level to address this crisis. Activities within the project will include journalistic workshops, university lectures, reporting fellowships and mentoring, photo competition, and creation of a database of scientific experts who can help Indonesian journalists’ reporting.

**_(PDO1, PRG1)_** **Art-Facilitated Conversations on Gender and Environment:**U.S. Embassy Vilnius hosted American artist Zoë Charlton to have conversations with prominent Lithuanian artists on activism, art, climate, and gender.

Lithuanian artist and influencer Jolita Vaitkutė interviewed and exchanged ideas with Charlton; the recording of this interview is now used to message on the timely topics of the environment, cultural heritage, politics, and intersectional identities.

**_(PDO4)_** **Ask a Gender and Climate Expert:**The Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues at the Department of State hosts a bimonthly virtual brownbag series featuring presentations from academics specializing in different aspects of the gender-climate nexus. These sessions are open to all Department of State employees, and other U.S. government agencies are welcome to attend.

**_(CB2)_** **Automated Directive Systems (ADS):** USAID’s ADS defines roles and responsibilities to ensure staff can achieve development goals. The ADS is USAID’s primary policy tool for outlining agency requirements for integrating gender throughout the planning and programming cycle across sectors, including in climate change programming. Gender analysis is required across programming.

**_(_****_PRG2, CB1, CB2)_** **Bangladesh Advancing Development and Growth Through Energy (BADGE):** This USAID/Bangladesh activity takes a gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) approach to planning, implementing, and making decisions about energy sector interventions.

By boosting women’s participation in the energy workforce of Bangladesh and including GESI in all BADGE interventions, the Government of Bangladesh and the United States benefit from the enhanced diversity, efficiency, and profitability of the energy sector.

**_(PDO3, PRG2)_** **Bosnia and Herzegovina Women and Energy Association:**Alongside partners, USAID/Bosnia and Herzegovina is establishing a Women in Energy Association, which is expected to be formalized in summer 2023.

The association will develop a formal network of women in the energy sector for mutual support and knowledge sharing; support their career planning and advancement; and provide training and learning opportunities for women.

**_(PDO3)_** **Building Economic Inclusion via the Blue Economy (BELUU):**BELUU, a program co-funded by the United States and Taiwan under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic Cultural Representative Office in the United States, promotes women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Marshall Islands through programming that: (1) fosters the growth of civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector entities via a Community of Practice co-facilitated by diverse and inclusive local organizations, and (2) awards Innovation Grants for CSOs to launch locally led interventions at the intersections between WEE and climate adaptation and resilience, COVID-19, food security, GBV, and/or digital technology—including in the green and blue economies.

**_(PDO3, PRG2)_** **Built Water Storage in South Asia:** The Department of State Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs’ Built Water Storage in South Asia project in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan addresses the differential impacts of proposed water storage options on women and men, where differences result from disparities in power, privilege, asset ownership, the burden of risks, and the distribution of opportunities.

This project provides technical assistance to government agencies, trains a cohort of professionals in water management (of whom at least 40 percent are women), and offers opportunities for engagement on cross-border water storage issues.

**_(PDO1, PDO4)_** **Central Africa Women’s Initiative for Climate Action (WICA):**Designed to strengthen capacity and increase participation of early-career women in the national climate change processes of Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo, the WICA initiative is funded in part by the SilvaCarbon Program (see SilvaCarbon entry below).

To date, 198 women have participated in a series of workshops, courses, and internships about climate change science, greenhouse gas accounting, the social and economic impacts of the climate crisis, climate finance, and national and international climate policy.

**_(PDO1)_** **Civil Society Roundtable Series:**Throughout 2021, the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the Department of State convened a series of roundtable discussions with civil society experts and practitioners on the nexus of gender and climate change.

In late 2022, a similar roundtable discussion was convened with members of the Innovation Station network of woman and girl climate leaders (see Innovation Station entry below). **_(CB2)_** **Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Initiative:** The C3E Initiative, led by the Department of Energy, advances the contributions and leadership of women across the clean energy sector.

It elevates key ambassadors, hosts an annual symposium, fosters a virtual community of women in clean energy, and honors mid-career women leaders through the C3E Awards.

**_(PDO3, PDO4, PRG1)_** **Clean Energy Ministerial Equality Initiative New Ambassador Cohort:** The Department of Energy Office of International Affairs co-leads the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Equality in Energy Transitions Initiative and is the lead of the Initiative’s Ambassadors Program and Mentorship Workstream.

Equality Initiative Ambassadors are proactive and highly qualified people of all genders who are leaders in the clean energy field, including within industry, government, and universities. Equality Ambassadors create opportunities to attract, retain, and inspire the next generation of women leaders in the clean energy sector.

The initiative provides a platform to speak publicly, draw attention to important work, serve as role models, increase women’s participation and leadership, and champion the careers of up-and-coming professionals in the field.

**_(PDO3, PDO4)_** **Climate Action Champions Network:** The Climate Action Champions Network is a $525,000 Indo-Pacific program including youth climate leaders from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to initiate climate action projects in the region. Network activities will include in-country site visits, cross-border conclaves, an incubator, and hackathons.

Through gender equitable participation and a gender inclusive approach, this initiative will ensure the future leaders of the region learn techniques to enhance mitigation and facilitate policy changes that will benefit women and girls.

**_(PDO1, PRG1, PRG2)_** **Climate Adaptation in Armenia:**USAID is supporting the implementation of Armenia’s Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plan, which includes working to support climate equity in Armenia, to ensure representation, inclusion, and protection of the rights of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Within these efforts, USAID is considering how to elevate employment opportunities for women in climate- and environment-related sectors and professions. **_(PDO1, PDO3)_** **Climate Gender Equity Fund:**Through its Climate Finance Development Accelerator, USAID created a Climate Gender Equity Fund, which will leverage private sector funding to scale climate finance that advances gender-equitable climate action.

Launched through a five-year partnership with Amazon, with initial seed funding of $6 million, the fund will leverage public and private sector investment to increase access to climate finance for women-led climate organizations and businesses that advance gender-equitable climate solutions in least developed countries.

**_(PDO3, PRG1, PRG2)_** **Critical Minerals Mining in Brazil:**An up to $30 million U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) equity investment in TechMet Limited will support the development of a critical minerals mining facility in Piauí, Brazil, that will produce nickel and cobalt suitable for lithium-ion batteries and advance efficient and environmentally sensitive mining practices.

The mining facility will be an important source of formal employment in a rural area with limited income opportunities. Women comprise almost one-third of all employees and one-third of all managers at the mining facility, a significantly higher rate than in the global mining workforce.

**_(PDO3)_** **Eco Literature Reading:**American Center Chennai (India) launched its Alumni Writers Circle with an interactive talk by Dr. Mary Vidya Porselvi, Fulbright-Nehru scholar on “Women’s Writing in Eco Literature,” and a select reading of her eco poetry. Targeting environmental and cultural activists and students, this interaction highlighted a gendered perspective in addressing climate change.

Over 120 students, professors, and research scholars attended the event, which highlighted the historic presence and voice of women in eco literature and their undeniable role in conservation efforts. **_(PDO4)_** **Educating the Indian Public on Air Quality:**U.S. Embassy New Delhi (India) is developing a comprehensive, innovative, and multi-pronged public education campaign to combat air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region.

This grant has included a Women’s Leadership e-Conclave, a virtual event highlighting 11 women who have led successful air quality campaigns in India. **_(PDO4)_** **Egyptian Pioneers Program:**USAID is spurring climate action by investing in education and skills building for women and youth.

Subject to the availability of funds and Congressional notification, USAID is investing $23 million in the new nine-year Egyptian Pioneers program that aims to build a more inclusive and capable Egyptian workforce, with an emphasis on sectors with the potential to contribute to climate goals, such as environment and energy.

**_(PDO3, PRG1, PRG2)_** **Empowering Women in Sustainable Energy in Indonesia:**USAID’s Sustainable Energy for Indonesia’s Advancing Resilience project is empowering women across the sustainable energy sector through partnerships with universities, the Renewable Energy Directorate in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia’s national power utility, and Indonesia’s oil and gas company.

These partnerships will support the integration of gender equality and social inclusion across the sector and empower women to be agents of change in Indonesia’s transition to low-carbon energy sources.

**_(PDO3, PRG1)_** **Enabling and Mobilizing the Participation of Women in Environmental Rights Defense (EMPOWER):**EMPOWER is a three-year project supported by the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and implemented in the East Asia Pacific region.

The program prioritizes human rights and fundamental freedoms and aims to increase the participation of women in decision-making processes by addressing issues affecting women environmental defenders and empowering them to play an active role in gender-sensitive environmental policy development in the region.

**_(PDO1, PDO2, PRG2)_** **Engendering Industries:** USAID supports organizations in developing countries to increase economic opportunities for women and improve gender equality in the workplace. First starting in the energy sector, and then expanding to water, Engendering Industries now works to advance gender equality in male-dominated sectors throughout the world.

**_(PDO3, PDO4, PRG1)_** **Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen):** The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed and established EJScreen to better meet the Agency’s responsibilities related to the protection of public health and the environment.

EJScreen uses national data in maps and reports to provide users with high-resolution environmental and demographic information for locations in the United States, allowing users to compare their selected locations to the rest of the state, EPA region, or nation.

The tool features gender specific data on women, including various maps of female populations, female heads of households, and females in the workforce, as collected by the Census American Community Survey.

**_(_****_PRG2, CB2)_** **Equal Stake in the Soil:**Building Women’s Land Rights from the Ground Up: Equal Stake in the Soil is a three-year project funded by the Department of State’s Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues in Bangladesh and Colombia. The program supports women-led civil society organizations to foster the enabling environment needed to recognize and promote women’s land rights and advance their economic security.

**_(PDO3, PRG2, PRG3)_** **Feed the Future Bangladesh Livestock and Nutrition Activity:**This USAID/Bangladesh activity focuses on women’s empowerment by building the capacity of female livestock service providers who deliver livestock education, services, and technologies to smallholder farmers, improving farm productivity, household incomes, and nutrition status.

The activity engages adolescents, women, local leaders, teachers, religious leaders, and market actors to facilitate social and behavior change interventions to address gender disparities, including encouraging the sharing of household workloads and increasing decision making power for women. The activity builds the capacity of female entrepreneurs to improve their financial literacy.

**_(PDO1, PDO3, PRG2, PRG3)_** **Female Leaders in Energy (FLIE):**FLIE is a two-year program of the Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources that aims to advance the professional development of more than 30 early- to mid-career level women working in the energy field in Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam through individual paired mentorships with senior-level women in energy from the United States.

As part of the program, mentees participate in technical workshops, leadership trainings, a capstone project, and job shadows to prepare them to become leaders in their organizations. **_(PDO3, PDO4)_** **Fire Management in the Brazilian Amazon:**USAID/Brazil has supported training courses and information exchanges in integrated fire management