Gender at the heart of Bangladesh’s first Country Investment Plan (CIP) for the environment, forestry and climate change

With the USAID funding, FAO project on ‘Strengthening the Climate Change (EFCC) Capacities of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and its Agencies’ is prioritizing gender from the outset, through implementing a gender strategy focusing on: (a) ensuring that the CIP being developed for the environment, forestry and climate change mainstreams gender; (b) building capacities in the Ministry for the Environment and Forests (MoEF) and its agencies in gender sensitive policy and programme development; and (c) improving gender balance within these government agencies.

Gender inputs have been sought throughout the development of the CIP, including a review of policies with a ‘gender lens’ and consultations with relevant government agencies. On 7 March, 2016, a ‘Consultative workshop to develop a gender-sensitive CIP’ gathered over 20 experts from relevant Government agencies, including the Planning Commission, MoEF and its agencies as well as USAID.  Following presentations on the CIP draft and the proposed approach to mainstreaming gender throughout it, participants offered their feedback through group discussions, which were shared in a final plenary session. 

While the draft CIP proposes gender as a design principle running through all programmes and sub-programmes (mainstreaming), it has also earmarked a dedicated sub-programme for investments aiming to narrow gender gaps, relevant to the environment, forestry and climate change 

On 10 March 2016, a training workshop on Mainstreaming Gender in Investment Planning complemented the consultation, and resulted in similar recommendations, helping to move on to the next draft of the CIP and the first draft of its gender action plan. 

Finally, a consultation with a group of senior women at the MoEF, built on previous consultations with the Forest Department and Department of the Environment, is set to take place in the near future in order to see how best to further support the advance of talented women in the Ministry’s senior ranks. The respondents were found keen to point out the progress to date, such as increasing numbers of women at more senior levels as well as at the entry levels, and increasing recognition of the capabilities of women by leaders. 

Support from the FAO representation’s gender focal point and FAO’s gender focal point in the Government, Ms Sultana Afroz in the Economic Relations Department of the Planning Commission, has been important in making these milestones possible, as has that of the MoEF and its agencies.

With  USAID financial assistance of USD 4,500,000, the 3-year long FAO project is due to produce the full draft CIP for national consultation on 31 May 2016, while work has also been ongoing to strengthen human and organizational capacity in the country to deliver more effective, coordinated, sustainable and country-driven investment programs in environmental protection, sustainable forest management and climate change adaptation and mitigation.